Little
by Neepster
Summary: Syd and Vaughn are thrown into the odd and dangerous world of Little, a young girl who was part of Covennant experiment. Slightly AU set in early season 3. Hope you like.
1. Default Chapter

Hey here is something I started writing awhile ago. Hope you enjoy.

It is set early season 3. It is slightly AU basically because I'm not entirely sure of what happens in S3, due to many things but hey enough of that.

Disclaimer: I don't own nothing.

Thrown against the wall she fell into unconsciousness hitting her head hard on the wall and the ground. She was thrown onto the street with that shock, and the puddle, she started to come around. She pushed up onto hands and knees. People didn't give her a second glance as she did, it was normality in that area. She started to stumble along until she could go no further. She collapsed in a garden pulled herself under a bush and let sleep take her.

Sydney woke up the next morning early as she always did now. She got up quickly having no desire to stay where the dreams lurked. By 7:30 she was out the door about to go for a run when she saw a pair of feet sticking out of one of the bushes in the front garden. She frowned and walked over looking under the bush she was shocked, it was a young girl of no more than 16 out cold bruised and cut all over. As Sydney checked for a pulse the girl caught her hand and pushed her away attempting to get up and fight but her legs gave out. Sydney looked down at her.

"Hey it's ok I won't hurt you" she said helping the girl to her feet.

"That's what they all say" she said and broke from Sydney's grip and finding support on the fence instead "Thanks for not attacking me or something I owe you." She shook her head slightly and thought "You ever need anything from information to money ask for Little at the Jokers bar in town. They'll know how to find me"

"Where did you learn that?" asked Sydney

"Around" she said with no emotion and Sydney recognised the tiny flicker in her eyes as she said it.

"Come in" said Sydney "I'll get you cleaned up and then I'll let you go"

"No!" said the girl quickly. Sydney narrowed her eyes,

"Why?"

"Look it is nothing against you but I have to do something" she said and started to walk away from her before she turned back "Any another time I would have taken up on your offer but I they find that I've been helped they could kill you. I don't want another on my conscience. I'll see you around" she smiled before starting to walk again and she stumbled gripping the fence in support with one hand and the other went to her chest. Sydney ran up to her and led her back to the house. She didn't protest too much, she could hardly speak from coughing. Sydney laid her on the sofa and she quickly fell asleep. Sydney took it as a chance to look over her quickly. Noticing a small mark on her shoulder where her shirt had slipped down she leant down to see it more clearly. Her eyes widened as she saw and recognised the small mark.

"Who are you?" she asked to no one and went to get the phone. Her father picked up after two rings.

"Bristow" he said

"Hey Dad"

"Hello Sydney" he said and became slightly more human "Are you ok?"

"Yeah I'm fine" she thought for a moment "Dad can you come to my place I have something to show you?"

"Yes I'll be there in about five minutes"

"See you" said Sydney as Jack put the phone down. Sydney looked at the girl for a moment then felt her forehead, she wasn't really all that surprised to find she was running a temperature. She got a cold flannel and placed on the girl's forehead. She stood over the child and looked at her.

She was small and skinny but seemed strong from the muscles she could see on her arms. She had blonde hair and hazel eyes, the hair was long and messy. The general feel for was unkempt. The clothes she was wearing would have been good quality once, it was fairly ordinary for a teenager jeans and t-shirt as well as fingerless gloves. She looked as though she had had a hard life and the mark on her shoulder would have been why.

When Jack arrived she was just starting to regain consciousness. Sydney led him into the front room and showed him the mark. Jack's face instantly became hard. The girl opened her eyes suddenly then flinched back as she saw Jack standing over her. Her eyes widened in what looked like fear.

"You know me don't you" Jack loomed over the girl. She seemed to get a hold of herself and her face hardened

"I know of you" she said sitting up but as far away from him as possible.

"You're Covenant aren't you?" he said leaning down so she had to look into his eyes.

"Are you trying to bring it down?" she asked.

"Answer the question" said Jack.

"No you answer my question" she said standing up becoming angry "You can't scare me with your shit. I've been through what you can't imagine. If what they say about you is true then I want to _help _you" Jack looked hard at her and she stared right back taking on the Bristow glare. She was shaking very slightly. Sydney wasn't sure why it could have been her weak state, anger or fear. "Please" the girl whispered "You have no idea what they do to you"

"Dad" said Sydney walking up to stand next to Jack. At that word the girl went white.

"You?" she said and sat down "No"

"What?" said Jack and after a minute said "We are"

"I'm supposed to kill your daughter" she shook her head as Sydney looked at her "No I can't you helped me" She looked up at Sydney with her scared eyes "I can't do it but they'll kill me this time" She looked back to Jack "I don't want to be…. I can't tell you here"

"Ok" said Jack "You're coming in with us" She nodded.

"How old are you?" asked Sydney.

"14"

"Can you tell us your name?" said Jack.

"Little" Jack looked at her for a second then nodded.

"We'll need a pick up" said Sydney. Jack nodded and took out his mobile and walked away.

"I'm sorry" said Little.

"It isn't your fault"

"It is I…I wanted to take on this job" she said quietly "It was a chance to try and find someone who could take them down. The briefing told me what you have both done"

"Oh" she went to say more when Jack came back in at that moment and told them to get ready to go. He went telling Sydney to wait until the team came then go to work.

The team was there in under ten minutes to take Little out of the house. The two men who held her were doing so very tightly it made her wince, she managed not to show it very much but Sydney saw. She couldn't do anything. To the team that came to get Little she was a criminal and to be treated with extreme force if she tried to escape. Sydney was fairly sure she wouldn't though because of the fact she had told the girl not to annoy them and that she wanted to be somewhere safe.

Sydney got to headquarters half an hour later and she immediately went to find her father. He turned as she walked into his office and nodded to her.

"Little as she calls herself is being searched right now" Before she could make a comment there was a knock at the door and Vaughn walked in. He nodded at Jack and half smiled at Sydney in greeting. She nodded in response and he almost sighed then turned back to Jack.

"What's the development?" he asked.

"The development is down in the holding cells" said Jack "Let's go" and he walked out, the two younger agents following closely. Sydney was keeping some distance between the two of them. They walked down the stairs into an interviewing room. They saw Little in some new clothes and cleaned up. She was staring at the table top and didn't look up when as they walked in.

"You ok?" Sydney asked and Little looked up from the table and nodded.

"Alright, Little this is Agent Michael Vaughn he is also with us. You can trust him too if you want" said Jack and she nodded again.

"Could I have a piece of paper?" she asked looking right at Jack. He ripped one out of the folder he was carrying and gave her it and a pen. She wrote something down in tiny handwriting and pushed it towards Jack who put it in the folder and didn't comment.

"I will leave you two to question her I have to talk with Dixon" said Jack standing and as he was going to leave he leant down and whispered in Sydney's ear "Just keep talking to her until I get back don't try and get any real information ok?" she nodded and turned back to Little.

"What is your real name?" asked Vaughn.

"Danielle Killian"

"How old are you?" asked Sydney.

"16"

"Why are you here?" said Vaughn

"I'm visiting family in the city" Vaughn looked at Sydney who raised her eyebrows very slightly and looked into his eyes trying to make him understand.

In Jack's office he took out the piece of paper and read it quickly. He put the paper into his pocket and walked to Dixon's office everybody who saw him got out of his way quickly. All agents learned to be scared of that face on the older Bristow. When Jack arrived at Dixon's office he was talking to Lauren but he saw Jack's face he dismissed her and she saw it too and walked out quickly. He walked over and laid the note on Dixon's desk half covering it with his hand. Dixon looked at him for a second before reading it. He seemed to pale and he took a deep breath before continuing.

"Take her elsewhere and leave this to Syd and Vaughn" Jack nodded and walked away towards the interview room. They were still questioning Danielle as she called herself now. They saw Jack at the window and went to talk to him. Jack dropped the note into Sydney's pocket whilst telling her that there was no need to question Danielle further and that Dixon said they should take her out and show her the city because of the inconvenience. Vaughn was very confused but decided to play along as Sydney seemed to be doing.

They took Little out of headquarters through the basement and into Sydney's car. She wouldn't let Vaughn speak until they were away from the CIA.

"What the hell is going on?" asked Vaughn really confused now and getting frustrated.

"Calm down" said Sydney "What is your name?" she asked the girl looking at her in the rear view mirror.

"Zara Katherine Hardin Thompson" she said.

"How old are you?"

"14"

"Why are you here?"

She took a deep breath before saying with a perfectly straight face and in an emotionless voice "I'm here to kill you to get to your father" Vaughn looked shocked and instantly pulled his gun out and pointed at her. She raised her eyebrows "You really think I would even be here if I intended to carry this out and besides Sydney would probably already be dead"

"Who… no What are you?" asked Vaughn looking at this kid who talked about killing as if she did it all the time.

"I think she does Vaughn" he looked back at Sydney forgetting for a second she could read him easily "We'll both be explained to when we get to the pier."

"Ah not a good idea they know about the pier always have someone posted there in the day" said Zara from the back.

"Warehouse?" said Sydney and Zara shrugged.

"Park would probably be better though I know somewhere no one goes" she said and Sydney nodded. Vaughn hissed at her.

"Syd what are you doing? She could be leading us into a trap" she waved him into silence.

"Trust me" she said and looked at him for a moment before her eyes fixed on the road again. The pain in her eyes hurt him greatly.

"I do" he whispered. Zara in the back watched this exchange then shook her head and looked out of the window.

"Look Vaughn" she said "Reach into my pocket and read that note then burn it ok" He nodded and did as she said and both of them held their breath as he did so. His hand lingered in her pocket for a second then he drew his hand out slowly. He read the note on the scrap of paper and his eyes widened.

It read

_They are here. I will tell you for safety._

It was in tiny neat writing. So small you had to squint to read it and he immediately knew why, so the cameras couldn't see it. After he showed it Sydney he took a box of matches out of his pocket and burnt the paper letting the ashes out of the window.

"Are you sure of that Zara?" Vaughn asked and she nodded.

"I was there when they were talking about it. I don't know who it is but I'll probably be able to recognise them. There would only have been so many that they would have sent."

"How were you there?"

"You'd be amazed at where I can get into and what I've heard. I was basically at best a pet for them but I'm really just an experiment."

Vaughn looked at Sydney as Zara was talking and noticed the very fixed expression she wore. She knew how the younger girl felt of course. He wanted to reach out, to hold her hand and tell her everything was alright but of course he couldn't. She would have flinched away anyway, she didn't trust him anymore with her feelings.

They pulled into the back of the park and all got out of the car. Zara walked in between the two adults and talked to them about things like school. They seemed confused at what she was doing for a minute then they talked back. They were joking and laughing as she led them into a far corner of the park. As they walked there were fewer and fewer people. Suddenly there was a great shout and a boy a little older than Zara came running over towards them.

"Megan!" he shouted and run straight to Zara and hugged her picking her up and spinning her around in the process.

"Hey…Mat" she said looking at the other two as he put her down. Sydney raised her eyebrows at her but she waved her off.

"What the hell are you doing here Meg?" said the boy "I thought you went back to England"

"I did I'm here for a visit" she said.

"Why didn't you look me up?" he asked

"Because if you remember in our last meeting I told you never to try and contact me again" she said looking hard at him "And I told you why" Vaughn stepped up behind the boy.

"Let go of her kid unless you want me to call the police" he said and that did it the boy let go of Zara and backed off quickly.

"I'm sorry" he said and stepped back again "I won't bother you again, you're happy with your folks I understand I hope you have a good life" As he started to walk away Zara called him back.

"Don't tell anyone you've seen me ok Mat" she looked him in the eye "I'm sorry" she said he nodded and then he held a hand up and walked away.

Sydney looked at Zara who had a blank expression on her face and as she felt the older woman looking at her she turned to look at her. You couldn't have read a definite emotion in the young girls eyes there was anger, sadness, guilt, pain and fear all rolled into one look. Zara turned and started to walk again the other two followed quickly and they reached the back of the park.

Zara told them to sit on a nearby bench and wait for a few minutes. She slipped through the slightly more wild part of the park scratching some of the trees on the way. She sighed as she reached her destination, a natural ring of trees. She quickly pulled herself up into the branches of the furthest from where she had entered. She seemed to disappear into the leaves and she closed her eyes listening for the others arrival.

About five minutes later she heard footsteps come towards her and she opened her eyes. Looking out through the branches she saw Sydney looking around for her below.

"Damn it" she said thinking Zara had run for it. Zara dropped out of her tree and Sydney pulled her gun out on instinct and trained it on the young girl who barely registered it.

"I wouldn't give you the slip" Sydney looked at her with a somewhat doubtful gaze "I just like climbing trees" she said as she pulled herself up into the branches of the tree again but stayed where Sydney could see her Zara half smiled. Sydney sighed and shook her head putting her gun away.

A few minutes later Vaughn stepped into the clearing. He stood watching the two of them, Sydney was leaning against a tree with her eyes closed and Zara, well Zara was just sitting on a branch swinging her legs and looking right at him.

He felt uncomfortable under her gaze, it was far too knowing for a teenager. He stepped forward and a twig snapped which caused Sydney to open her eyes and look at him briefly before standing straight and walking over to stand next to him. She turned to Zara who jumped off the branch and landed at their feet. She quickly sat down as did Sydney, Vaughn decided to stay standing so he could pace.

"Will you really tell us everything that you know?" asked Vaughn, starting to pace, the girl nodded. "How long have you been with them?" he asked.

"For about…six years" she said and Vaughn stumbled as he paced and Sydney stood up abruptly.

"They recruited you when you were 8?" she said disbelieving.

TBC

Hope you like. Constructive criticism appreciated. Thanks.


	2. Chapter 2

Here is the second part.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Previously 

"They recruited you when you were 8?" she said disbelieving.

Zara sighed and controlled her emotions before she spoke "I was part of an experiment. I was the youngest, there were 8 of us ranging from 8 to 14" she looked at the ground "I'm the only one left now, Edek was killed six weeks ago on a mission. He was just 16" Her hands became fists and she picked up a twig stripping it of branches and bark. Sydney and Vaughn shared a glance.

"What was the experiment?" asked Sydney after a minute

"We were trained like adults and they watched us as we went around and how we killed and reacted to other people" she sighed "They put us into school but one kid Matthias attacked a teacher and nearly killed them so they pulled us out but carried on the training. Whenever we did anything wrong even talking back we were punished and if we refused to do something they tortured us and also made us invulnerable to it at the same time"

"Can you tell us the names of the others?" asked Vaughn taking a notebook and a pen out of his pocket.

She nodded "Matthias Anderlohr, Helen Smith, Olive Sperelli, Anya Vanisovitch, Shen-Lei Sying, Jacque Hagg, Edek Licht and me." Her face was expressionless "They died in that order" she sighed.

"Where is your family?" asked Sydney.

"My parents are dead I…I know that for sure" she closed her eyes and snapped the twig "I pretty sure at least one of my two older brothers are dead and I have no idea about my sister. I haven't seen any of them since my parents died three years ago."

"How did your parents die Zara?" Sydney asked gently.

"They were killed when I refused to do something, they told me not to. They died and I…" she took a shuddering breath calming herself down falling into an stoic state "I had to watch. That was the real moment that I knew that they weren't CIA or any other organisation for good. We've been trying to find a way to bring them down for about three or four years now."

"We?" asked Vaughn

"Me and the other kids that weren't dead" she looked at him "But we couldn't stop doing anything they would have killed us if they found out. I used to make I injured instead of killed when I could, all of us did"

"Did they ever find out?" asked Sydney. Zara shook her head,

"They got suspicious sometimes but we put it down to not be able to cope which just meant more training and their… experiments to see why."

"Who are the Covenant partners?"

She started to rattle off names and Vaughn wrote them down. They asked more questions for about an hour or so and Zara answered them fully all except ones that directly involved her family and sometimes what had happened. They didn't press her, she was getting more expressionless each time they asked them.

Vaughn went out of the clearing first and it was only to get some coffee before they went back to the headquarters. Zara went out before Sydney and sat on a bench close to the trees. Sydney followed her and touched her shoulder as she reached the bench and sat down next to her. Zara looked at her then back out over the park.

"It's amazing isn't it?" she said and Sydney frowned.

"What?"

"Well Ms. Bristow I should be in school right now. If I were…at home I would be studying for my SAT's or actually more likely mucking around with my friends" she gestured to the people in the park "Like these people. They don't know how lucky they are do they?" she looked up at Sydney.

"I know what you mean" she said sighing "And Zara call me Sydney or Syd if you want, calling me Ms. Bristow makes me feel old" Zara smiled. "You know I'm going to help you find your family"

"Why?"

"Because everyone deserves to have some kind of family. I know more than most what a dysfunctional family feels like"

"Your mother is Irina Derevko isn't she?"

"Yes" Sydney looked at her "How do you know her?"

"Oh it's alright she isn't part of it" said Zara reading more into Sydney's question "I know about her from them telling me about your father and some of the ex-KGB talk about her too."

"Have you ever met her?" Zara shook her head. There was a weighted pause which Sydney broke "Where has Vaughn got to?" she asked looking around.

"No idea" she said and then looked closer at Sydney "You were as well weren't you" she said with wide eyes. Sydney just looked at her in shock "That proves it. How did you come out alive?"

"I don't know" Sydney said "I was with them for 2 years but I don't remember anything"

"You're lucky then" she said and leant back stretching against the bench.

"Only the dreams to contend with" muttered Sydney thinking out loud by accident but Zara heard.

"Yeah they are…mucked up" she said "To put it lightly" Sydney chuckled and nodded. "There are months of my life I simply can't remember. I think I deliberately blocked them out. They buggered your life up don't they?" she asked "That's why you want to take them down as well as them being evil bastards who enjoy bringing pain"

"How can you read people so easily?"

"6 years of having to work out whether or not you should kill someone gives you a good insight into that" she said a wry smile on her face.

"Yeah I suppose it would" she sighed then jumped slightly as Vaughn put his hand on her shoulder.

"Calm down Syd" he said smiling at her and she just pulled her shoulder away from him and stood up. He sighed and looked at her with sad eyes. Sydney couldn't even look at him. "We have to get back" he said and they all followed him to her car. The ride back was silent and they all seemed to prefer it that way. Once they got back to headquarters Zara was whisked away quickly down to the cells so no one could see her. She was put in one of the high security cells oddly enough opposite Irina. She looked surprised as the young girl was put into the cell.

"Hello" said Irina and Zara looked up in shock she hadn't realised that there was anyone else here.

"Ah hello" she said looking through the glass at the older woman.

"What are you here for?"

"Information" she said looking around.

"Ok" said Irina looking at her as she looked down at her feet "Are you ok?"

"Oh yes" she said looking up with a slight smile. "Excuse me but who are you?"

"Oh sorry I didn't introduce myself, my name is Irina Derevko" Zara looked at her 'I should have known' she thought to herself 'Sydney looks just like her'. Irina asked a question "What is you name?"

"Uh Little" she said quickly deciding to keep to her nickname here.

"Little?" said Irina with raised eyebrows

"Yes I don't like my name so everyone calls me that" she said shrugging hoping she would drop the subject.

"Ok" she said "How long are you staying here then?"

"I have no idea" said Zara. At that moment Sydney walked into the room carrying a few files. She put them on the floor and turned to her mother.

"Hey Mum"

"Hello Sydney" she said putting her hand against the glass as Sydney did the same.

"How are you?"

"I'm ok. Are you?" and Sydney nodded "Have you met my new cell mate?" she asked and pointed at Zara who looked up and waved.

"Yes we met this morning" she said "Oh and Little I have the photos for you to identify"

"Oh ok" said Zara as Sydney motioned to the guard who opened the door and trained his gun on Zara as Sydney put the files on the table.

"This should be over soon" she said smiling at the younger girl who seemed uncomfortable in this environment.

"It's better than most" she said with a small smile "And I'm safe here" Sydney smiled and walked out. She talked to her mother for a few minutes before leaving. Zara sat on her bed and looked at the files.

"They aren't going to bite you know" said Irina with a chuckle as Zara jumped and looked at her.

"I know they aren't" she said getting up and walking over to the table. She picked up two of the files and sat on the floor with it.

"You can sit on the chair"

"I know, I like the floor better though" said Zara looking straight at her. Irina was taken back by the intensity of the young girls gaze.

"Where are you from?"

"Originally," she thought "Australia but I moved to England when I was six months old then to Russia when I was five then back to England when I was eight." She sighed "After that all over the place"

"Your parents must have moved around a lot then" she said.

"Yeah" she said opening the folder "Something like that at least" she really didn't want to talk about it anymore. Irina didn't ask anymore questions just watched the girl neatly pile the photos into a pile then look hard at each one. She set them down in three piles. One's she'd seen, not sure and no.

After an hour the no pile was a lot bigger than the other two put together which she was glad about. The other two were at any time not just them being Covenant. She drew the not sure pile closer to her and then lay back with it beside her she looked at them again then decided that they were all ok. She picked up the ones she had seen and looked at them again.

"You, I've seen before but where" she said looking at a picture of a thin man with blonde hair "I tried to kill you" she shook her head and put it down she did the same with the others and they were all people she had seen on brief tapes or tried to kill in a few cases but she had another folder to go through yet. She sighed and stood up stretching before neatly putting all the photos away into the files.

She decided to have a break before starting on the next two files. She put the two she was holding on the table then took her sweatshirt off leaving a loosely fitting blue t-shirt. She stood in the middle of the room and closed her eyes before going into fighting stance. She still had her eyes closed as she started to move with very precise movements occasionally flipping onto her hands and spinning round. Irina watched this with interest she was well aware that the kind of moves that the child was doing took many years to master. She was surprised with how comfortable she was with the moves she was with it. At that moment she was on her shoulders and then pushed herself up twisting in the air to land with her feet together facing Irina. She didn't even stumble. She opened her eyes and blushed as she saw the older woman watching she had forgotten that she wasn't alone.

"Where did you learn that?" asked Irina.

"Around" she said and put her jumper back on.

"Oh no you don't. You don't just pick that up off the streets I know that"

"Lessons from the age of four" she said and picked up the other two files before sitting on the floor again.

"And you do that as a break?"

"Keeps me in practice" she shrugged "And I enjoy the art itself I don't like fighting but you have to be prepared"

"Very true" Irina replied and Zara pulled out all the photos and again piled them up.

As Zara was looking at the photos Sydney and Vaughn were taking it in turns to watch her. Sydney was watching at the moment and had seen her impressive display.

Everything was fairly quiet in the office, only the four of them knew of Zara's real identity. They had kept it on the low at the moment and sent the word round was that she was a Covenant contact that was willing to talk. People wanted to talk to her all day but no one was allowed in except the Bristow's and Vaughn. Lauren was pestering Vaughn for information but he wasn't telling her anything.

Weiss, having gotten bored, wandered over to where Sydney was sitting and leaned on the back of her chair.

"What you watching?" he said and looked up "Oh interesting" the sarcasm evident.

"Shut up Weiss"

"But it is you're watching your mother and a kid, gripping TV" he said and smiled at her. She shook her head and laughed slightly.

"I have to watch her" she said "She's identifying people"

"She's having as much fun as us then" he said. Sydney just shook her head again then looked at Weiss.

"Don't you have any work to do?"

"I was told to come and help you" she raised her eyebrows.

"Really?"

"No I'm just sick of Lauren pestering me to see if Mike has told me anything he hasn't told her" Sydney sighed. "She's being really annoying, Mike looks as if he's going to go mad" At this moment Vaughn was coming towards them looking angry "Look" said Weiss pointing at him.

"I see what you mean" she said as she looked over at him. He looked up at caught her watching, she quickly looked away but he kept looking at her and then started to walk towards the two of them.

"He's coming to find solace" said Weiss

"Shut up Weiss" said Sydney hiding her embarrassment and hitting him on the arm.

He yelped "Syd jeeze was that necessary" he jumped up from beside her and holding his arm.

"Get a bit tougher Weiss" she laughed but stopped as soon as Vaughn walked up to them.

"Anything?" he said and Sydney shook her head.

"She's been through the first two folders and she's pretty impressive fighter" Sydney watched the screen instead of looking at him "You should ask for the tape. She wasn't lying" Vaughn looked closely at her thinking how much he still cared for her loved her even. He noticed her stiffen and her eyes widen suddenly and his flicked up to the screen.

"Shit" he said and they both ran to the cells not caring if they hit into anyone just having to get there.

TBC

Hope you like. Again constructive criticism welcomed.


	3. Chapter 3

Here is the next part.

The guards were already at the door when they got there. They pushed through roughly.

"Open the door" shouted Sydney they did as she told them and she darted in. Zara was shaking and staring at the ceiling. There were tears streaming down her young face. "Little?" she said walking slowly towards her. Zara didn't look at her just spoke, in a strange emotionless tone.

"I've identified them they have set up the north cell here" she said and then bent down and picked up a photograph making sure she didn't look at it and no one could see it either. Sydney took it but didn't look at it she slid it into an envelope and put it in her pocket. She put a hand on the young girl's shoulder and she turned to look at the hand before looking into Sydney's brown eyes.

Sydney was scared of those eyes she knew it then they held too much, far too much. The two hazel pools were flashing in anger, cringing in fear and hopeless with sadness all at the same time. Zara was shaking all the emotions going through her too much to be expressed in any other way.

Sydney couldn't bare to see that in that young girls gaze. She pulled her into a tight hug but Zara stood rigid in fear until Sydney began to let go then Zara tentatively returned the embrace. There were shouts from the guards, Vaughn tried to stop them but they kept at it. They pointed guns at them and they separated Sydney pulling Zara behind her and shouted at the guards.

"She is just a child. Leave her alone for God's sake" The guards backed off from Sydney's rage and Vaughn walked forward to try and calm her down.

"We'll be ok. Go outside" he ordered. They obeyed quickly and silently. He walked over to Sydney "Can you show me who it is?" She gave him the envelope.

"Show this to my father and Dixon as well" she looked him in the eye for the second time that day a first. "Don't do it in here" she said firmly and he nodded.

"Are you alright?" he asked Zara who looked at him from behind Sydney not saying anything.

"We'll be fine" Sydney cut in for Zara who didn't look up to talking "We have talk about some things don't we?" she turned to Zara who nodded very slightly. Vaughn went to put a hand on Zara's shoulder but she flinched and he dropped his hand.

"Syd you need anything you just call" he said and she nodded smiling very slightly. He was just happy that she believed him and touched her arm briefly before walking out hand in his pocket to protect the photograph. Once he had walked out Sydney shook herself and turned to Zara who had been behind her the whole time. She had stopped shaking so violently.

"Are you ok?" she asked.

"Not.. really" said Zara she was stuttering in her rage "I just realised that…someone who should be dead is alive and I…she should be fu.. dead"

"Whoa calm down ok" Sydney put a hand on the girl's shoulder again "Lets sit" Zara nodded and they walked over to the small bed and sat down next to each other. "Do you want to tell me?" Zara shook her head holding the tears in by closing her eyes. "I'll put it another way. Do you think you should tell me?"

"I'll have to tell someone some day soon" she said quietly in a sad voice.

"What did they do to you?" Sydney asked gently.

"They were the one who put in the idea of…" she paused "Of using my parents to make me do something. They killed them not before torturing me of course" she started to shake again "The last thing my parents saw was me…me being…" she took a deep breath and Sydney didn't press her letting her find the right words "Being put in the chair. I tried to fight" the tears she had been trying to hold back started to fall "I tried I did. They were too strong. I was only 11 and they were too strong to fight. I wasn't strong enough after everything to fight off 4 grown men" Sydney hugged her again.

"Shh hush hey you're ok. You're ok now aren't you?" and Zara nodded and looked up at Sydney.

"Thank you Syd" Sydney looked taken aback.

"Why?"

"For.. things" she said cryptically. Sydney smiled then Zara asked a logical question "What's going to happen now?"

"I'm not sure really but I know the person will be dealt with" Zara nodded.

"Will it be over soon?" she asked looking very young as she looked up at Sydney who had to keep reminding herself that this girl was 14 and not an adult. She did not seem know how to be much of a child.

"I don't know I want to be over as much as you do. We can hope" Zara nodded again.

"I can do that not very good at it but I can do it" she said and looked up at the ceiling. Sydney still had a hand lightly on her back as if to protect her. "You're the first adult to show me any compassion for a long time" she whispered and Sydney looked at her "I'm not used to any of this" she chuckled "I mean the cells and imprisonment yes but people taking an interest in me as me rather than my fighting skills or…pain resistance that's weird"

"Well get used to it" Sydney said with a smile "People are going to be interested in you for you as you and your skills too. They won't hurt you though. I'll see to that" Zara smiled at her.

"Syd why are you doing this?"

"Because what they did to you was something no one should have to go through ever."

"No there's more to it than that"

"I also know how you feel in some ways" she said "I not ashamed to admit we probably need you too"

"You don't have to explain" said Zara "As long as you don't push to hard for what you need from me. Like I said earlier I can't remember some months it may be me blocking them out or it could have been them deliberately doing it. I don't know. If I can't remember I can't ok" she said looking up at Sydney who nodded. They sat there for about five minutes idly chatting. Zara was teaching Sydney some Polish when Vaughn walked into the room. He was obviously shaken. Sydney looked up at the sound of the gates she stood up and walked over to the door. Vaughn looked up at her with shock written all over his face. She walked out of the door and stood in front of him.

"Vaughn" he didn't respond or look up "Vaughn who is it?" he looked up at her.

"I'm so sorry Syd. How could I have given up? On you of all people? Syd I…" he couldn't talk. He just pulled Sydney to him in a fierce hug. He was whispering 'I'm sorry' over and over again. Sydney stood there frozen for a few seconds then she put her arms around him as well and tried to comfort him.

"Vaughn?" she whispered "Vaughn you have to tell me" he just shook his head into her shoulder. She took a deep breath "Michael, please" she whispered and knew that it had caught his attention. He pulled back slightly and looked into her eyes.

He leant in and whispered shakily in her ear "It's her my said wife Lauren" Sydney stood stunned "I'm sorry Syd." Sydney didn't speak or move. She looked up into Vaughn's green eyes. There were tears there "Syd" he said his voice choked with tears. They embraced again. She knew it wasn't because of Lauren it was because of everything, the time that he had wasted not finding her or being together and that he had been a mission.

"Who knows?" she asked him still holding onto him tightly.

"Your father and Dixon that's all. They need to have Zara reconfirm it and talk to higher up as well." Vaughn looked at her as they broke apart because Sydney sighed. "What?"

"I'll tell you in a minute" she said then walked out of his embrace slowly and over to Zara. She told her quickly what was going on. Zara nodded then gestured to Irina on the other side. Sydney turned to her mother who just smiled and drew a hand across her mouth, Sydney smiled at her then looked back at Vaughn. "Come on" she said and they both walked out.

Weiss watched the two of them as they walked back towards Dixon's office. They weren't trying to keep space between each other usual if anything, they were keeping slightly too close together. They both looked shaken and Weiss figured they weren't expecting the person the kid had identified.

Vaughn had a strong urge to take Sydney's hand he needed something real to hold onto something he knew. His life was being torn apart before him; his wife was covenant, their marriage had been a sham and the thing that really angered him was that he was a mission, an assignment something to conquer and he had been even fooled into thinking Lauren actually cared for him. They walked into Dixon's office to face an angry Jack, the anger pointed at Vaughn, and a shocked and sympathetic Dixon.

"I've told upstairs that we need to talk to them about Little" he said and they both nodded "Did she look at all the photographs?"

"I'm not sure" said Sydney "She just wanted to get the one to you quickly. I'll go and ask her" said Sydney and turned but Dixon stopped her.

"No Syd we all have to talk with her and the photographs" Dixon thought for a moment "We'll go out of here to the park. We'll pose as a family on an outing. You two" he said looking at Syd and Vaughn "Will be her parents, Jack grandfather and I'll be a friend or something." Jack looked at Dixon to be allowed to speak and he nodded.

"Your names will be Helen and James Pearson and Little will be.."

"Megan" said Sydney quickly "She seems to know people her and they call her Megan so…" Jack nodded.

"I will be Luke Smith and Dixon, Thomas Harden" Dixon nodded.

"We meet in four hours" said Dixon he turned to Sydney and Vaughn "You take her now and go somewhere with a lot of people. Remember to be a family ok?" They both nodded "Go" they nodded then walked out.

TBC

Hope you like


	4. Chapter 4

Here is the next part. Thanks for the reviews.

They picked up Zara and went around the back entrances careful not to run into Lauren. They took Vaughn's car this time and he drove. Zara sat in silence for the first ten minutes of the journey curled up on the seat, head leaning against the window after that she fell asleep. Sydney kept looking back at her checking on her. Vaughn turned to her at a red light.

"Where are we going?"

"I don't know maybe a mall or something" she said shrugging then nodded at him. He put his foot down as the lights changed.

"Why was she so upset when she found out Syd?" asked Vaughn quietly. Sydney sighed slightly "Syd please"

"Lauren…she…" she looked at him and took a deep breath "She was the one who killed her parents Vaughn" said Sydney looking at her hands. When she looked up at Vaughn he was just staring at the road seeming calm but Sydney could see how hard he was gripping the steering wheel. "Pull over here" she said motioning towards a car park next to a shopping centre. He nodded. Finding one he parked then turned and looked at Sydney. She stared back at him for a moment before looking into the back at Zara's still sleeping form.

"Almost don't want to wake her" whispered Vaughn "Jesus she's so young, _too _young" he reached into the back and smoothed the hair off her face.

"I know I have to keep reminding myself that she's only 14" Zara moved and opened her eyes blinking several times. She looked up at them.

"Where are we?" she said yawning and stretching.

"At a mall" said Vaughn.

"Ok" she said "What are we doing here?"

"Blending in" said Sydney "Are you hungry?" asked Sydney "We could get some lunch or something"

"Ah yeah I am I last ate…" she closed one eye and thought "Yesterday morning I think may have been the day before"

"Jesus Zara" said Vaughn "You're eating something now" and he got out of the car and Sydney followed his lead then Zara got out as well.

"Look remember we have to act like a family" said Sydney "So you're our kid Megan"

"Okay" said Zara raising her eyebrows.

"Come on Hels" said Vaughn and Sydney smiled.

"Coming James" She walked up and walked next to her 'husband' with Zara who was still slightly wary of Vaughn on her other side.

"Come on" said Vaughn and they walked inside.

There was a pizza hut near the entrance and Vaughn had taken hold of Sydney's hand somewhere between the car and now, not that she really minded, it was to keep from loosing her in the crowds as well as strengthening the married appearance. He had also caught hold of Zara's hand who seemed overwhelmed by the amount of people. She became nervous around other people very easily. She had seemed so jumpy that Vaughn had put his arm protectively round her shoulders. She smiled up at him silently thanking him.

"So where are we going to eat?" asked Zara.

"There Meg" said Sydney.

"Pizza hut" she said "Doesn't serve pizza by any chance?"

"She's too quick for me" said Vaughn ruffling her hair slightly "I mean getting that from the name" he sighed making Sydney and Zara laugh "I'm so proud. Come here" he said and she backed off thinking he was mad. Sydney laughed at them as Vaughn half chased her round for a bit.

"Mum make him stop it" she shouted to Sydney as Vaughn picked her up and started to tickle her "Dad" she said through laughing "Stop it" Vaughn did quite quickly he seemed taken aback as Sydney did by Zara calling them her parents.

"Come on James stop treating her like a little kid" said Sydney smiling at Vaughn.

"Well if she's going to be grown up she should not have to ask us to buy her clothes" said Vaughn "Hey little one"

"Dad" said Zara in the normal teenage _shut-up-you're-embarrassing-me _voice.

An old woman laughed at their behaviour and smiled at the three of them.

"They grow up fast don't they?" she said to Sydney and Vaughn as they passed her and they nodded.

"They sure do" said Vaughn hurrying them past not wanting to talk.

They got into the restaurant and were seated near the back. They ordered quickly no one gave them a second glance, they looked like a normal family having lunch out. Sydney and Vaughn talked to Zara about lots of things like politics and other things any other 14 year old probably wouldn't have cared about. She had some interesting views and had them both laughing at her wording of what the English Prime Minister was.

"Well Meg" said Vaughn "When did you last go to school?"

"Um 5 years ago" she said laughing slightly "I'm a tad behind on most things but got languages, self defence, interrogating/debating and how to survive on nothing covered"

"Megan" sighed Sydney "You're unbelievable. Do you think this is all a joke?"

"Do you know any other way to put a good spin it? because I sure as hell don't" said Zara looking straight at her with those eyes again.

"We know Meg" said Vaughn quietly putting a hand on hers gently.

"I'm sorry" said Sydney quietly "It just amazes me how you can speak like that about it"

"Because if I didn't I'd go mad" she said.

"Anyway" said Vaughn noticing the dimming in the girls gaze "What languages do you speak?"

"Um English obviously, French, my Mum, Russian, lived out there and my dad was half Russian, Polish, Spanish and Chinese fluently. I'm semi in Italian, German and Africans. I can get by Czech, Hindi and if I really have to Welsh for some reason."

"Uh wow" said Vaughn after a minute "13, yep you definitely have languages covered"

"How did you find the time to learn all of them?" asked Sydney

"Well" said Zara waiting for the waitress to put their food down and go before continuing "We were from all over the place Matthias was German, Helen was American, Olive was Italian, Anya was Russian, Shen was Chinese, Jacque was French and Edek was Polish. I learnt off them as I was the youngest I had no say in what language we should speak in, luckily it was French. I learnt Polish next as Edek appointed himself as my protector and I taught him English. We all learnt each others it was part of it. I had been learning Spanish before that as well don't ask me why"

"Eat something Meg" said Sydney as the two adults started to eat.

"Oh ok" she said looking at her pizza trying to outstare it then she picked her knife and fork and started to eat it slowly and with perfect table manners. Sydney and Vaughn exchanged several looks none of which went unnoticed by Zara. She sighed as she finished one half of her pizza.

"What is going on between you two?" she said twirling her knife round in her hand but making sure she dropped it from time to time to stop suspicious eyes. Vaughn and Sydney looked up at her in surprise.

"Nothing" said Sydney quickly and Vaughn nodded.

"You're worse than teenagers" she said shaking her head. They looked at her "What? I had basically seven brothers and sisters who were, mostly, teenagers"

"Yeah I suppose" said Vaughn "I'll give you that but there is nothing going on"

"Riight" said Zara sarcastically "And I'm the most average teenager in America"

"Just drop it ok?" said Sydney and Zara sighed.

"Ok but if you leave it there I can use it against you" she put on an innocent smile "I'm good at black"

"No you don't" said Sydney and she just laughed.

"I was only kidding Jesus. You're too serious"

"That's our job" said Vaughn and caught hold of her again ruffling her hair.

"Hey let go of me" she said and wriggled out of his grip "What is it with you and ruffling up my hair?" she asked and he just grinned.

"Come here sweetie" said Sydney playing mother as some people stared at them she stood up and Zara followed. They walked into the bathroom. Sydney gave Zara a hairbrush and she brushed her hair. Sydney checked there was no one else in there before she talked.

"You know we have to meet my father and Dixon in about three hours" she said and Zara nodded.

"Who's Dixon?"

"Head of operations"

"Oh uh cool"

"And you have to prove it up to higher up than him" she looked at her "You'll have to tell them everything Zara even what she did"

"I understand" she looked into Sydney's eyes "Just don't expect me to see her in real life. I couldn't handle that Syd I couldn't" she stopped and looked down at her feet keeping the tears at bay.

"Of course" said Sydney "I'll make sure of that" She put a hand on the girls shoulder and smiled at her. Zara's face was fine in a minute and she smiled back. "Come on lets go and rescue Vaughn"

"Ok" she said and they both walked back and indeed Vaughn did look happy to see them and even gave Sydney a kiss on the cheek.

"What was that for?" she said blushing slightly.

"You" he said with a smile "And that woman over there was making eyes at me and she's well over 60"

"Well, well" said Sydney casually looking over at the woman and Vaughn was right she took his hand and nodded to Zara who laughed. Zara couldn't eat anymore so contented herself by either making conversation with Sydney and Vaughn or making fun of them in languages they didn't understand, mostly she just watched the people around her. She had been around a lot of people but not as a civilian she usually had to watch for danger or a contact and now she didn't have to although she was doing subconsciously anyway. She watched a family there were three children two boys and a girl. They were talking to each other animatedly and she was reminded of the way her brothers used to talk to her parents.

Twenty minutes later they were walking along the pavement, Zara in the middle of the two adults. They were discussing what they were going to do.

"Well we have three hours before we have to meet them, so what does anyone want to do?" asked Vaughn.

"What is there to do?" asked Zara

"Uh cinema, bowling and skating" said Vaughn his eyes lighting up at the last suggestion.

"When did you last go skating?" asked Sydney.

"Uh nearly two years ago" he said quietly.

"We're going skating then" said Sydney and his face lit up making Zara laugh. He then went over to Sydney and picked her up hugging her and spinning her round.

"Thank you" he said as he put her down. She laughed and blushed as Zara walked ahead of the two of them shaking her head. Sydney noticed and stopped her.

"Hey Meg wait up" and Zara stopped and looked back at the two of them. They caught up with her quickly then got to the car.

TBC

Hope you like. There won't be anymore updates until at least Wed as i will be asleep after Glastonbury festival. (If you dont know what it is you are deprived but its cool)


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry I've taken so long to update.

Here's the next part.

Zara sat in the back again watching the two of them. They had become much more at ease with each other than they were earlier. They seemed to have forgotten about _her. _Zara shuddered slightly as she thought of that woman.

Somewhere in the journey to the rink and without verbally confirming it Sydney and Vaughn had come to a decision. They had to tell Zara that Lauren was Vaughn's wife. They shared a look and stopped on the side of the road next to a long beach.

Vaughn looked at Zara in the mirror "Zara we have to tell you something or rather I do this…it's my fault no blame goes to Syd on this" Vaughn was stalling somewhat.

"Okay" said Zara "Just say it"

"Zara…Lauren….Lauren is….my wife" he turned to look out of the window "I…married her when I thought Sydney was dead. She, they, took advantage of me. I was so broken. I was, am really, a mission and it makes me…" he gave up and hit the steering wheel "I thought she loved me. I tried to love her back but it never worked though."

Zara looked at him, just looked at him. Her face was stoic and there was no expression in her eyes. She opened the door and got out of the car. This was done in one quick movement they watched as she walked out to the edge of the road and sat down with her knees up.

The two looked at each other. Sydney half smiled at Vaughn and touched his hand gently giving him a look which said _'I'll go and talk to her' _then got out of the car. She turned back as she passed his window he wound it down. She leant in

"Come over when I wave. Ok?" she said and he nodded.

"Thanks Syd" he said and Sydney smiled at him. Vaughn rested his head on the steering wheel as she walked away and hit the dashboard with some force. He kept his head down for some minutes trying to calm himself down.

Sydney sat down next to Zara. She didn't look up. She was looking down at her feet with her eyes closed.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she said quietly.

"We were trying to find the right moment I think. Although, there isn't one is there?" she said with a small smile and Zara shook her head.

"Michael must hate me" said Zara.

"No" said Sydney quickly "He doesn't hate you at all" Sydney put a hand on the girls shoulder making Zara look up at her "He's angry with himself more than anything. He was a mission really she never loved him and he was, is, married to her. Vaughn doesn't take things like that lightly, he means what he says" she said "Or at least he convinces himself that he does and it is for the best"

"I know…sort of" said Zara "We thought we were specially chosen to go to one of the best schools in the world and for the first few months that's what it was. We knew something was up though apart from being taught how to load guns we were only allowed to see our families twice a year and only for a day. At Christmas and at Easter. I only saw my parents for 9 days in three years." She put her head on her knees "I hate them" she said shakily crying "For what they did to me and my family and all of us I've lost everyone. Even Edek and we promised each other that wouldn't leave the other with them." She sighed "It wasn't his fault though" she said.

"You've been through things _no one_ should have to go through Zara" said Sydney "And you're only 14. I would have had a nervous breakdown by now and it's alright to mourn for Edek it hasn't been very long. My…best friend was killed over two years ago and I'm still not over it"

"I don't know how to mourn. I never could. When something happened we were put on missions for the sake of it to drive emotions out of our heads. It's hard to be emotional when you're running from several gunmen and fighting for your life."

"When did you last cry?"

"What before today?" she thought about it for a second then shook her head "I can't remember actually crying for periods of time I remember having to hide it a lot. I think I blocked it out" She stared out to sea "I want to go home" she whispered and the wind nearly carried her words away "That's all I've ever wanted to go home, to school, argue with my brothers and play with my sister. Be safe. I just want to be a kid who only worries about getting homework in on time and friends. I can't make friends easily Syd" she said "I can't trust anyone especially kids my age they don't know when not to tell something or not. I'm scared of them and knowing it just makes it harder."

Sydney sat in silence looking at the child next to her. One thought was going round her head _'What can you say to that?'_ she turned round and saw Vaughn looking at them she waved him over and he got out of the car. He sat down on the other side of Zara he saw her face then put an arm around her shoulders.

"Zara…" he said and she looked up at him he tried to speak then just smiled. She nodded her head in understanding then to both the adults surprise laid her head on Vaughn's shoulder. He looked over her head at Sydney who just shrugged. They sat like that for a long time until Sydney noticed that Zara had fallen asleep again.

"Vaughn" she said quietly "You seem to be a good pillow"

He looked down and smiled and watched as Sydney moved some hair of the girl's face. "I seem to be" Sydney yawned "You want to try it out too" She looked at him and he looked at her with love in his gaze she just smiled. Vaughn lifted Zara gently seemingly surprised at her weight and put her on his lap one arm keeping her in place and with the other he touched Sydney's hand.

She looked up at him almost scared to move closer but she couldn't help it she did. She rested her head on his shoulder as his arm wrapped around her finding one of her hands on her lap and gripping it tightly.

They sat there for a long time Sydney tired but not falling asleep she was listening to everything around her with her eyes closed. Vaughn was watching the two of them, he knew Sydney wasn't asleep but he didn't want to speak and break the moment between them he was holding her and that was all he wanted. She opened her eyes and looked up at him before looking at her watch.

"How long?" he whispered.

"Two and a half" she said "Still want to go skating?"

"I don't know" he looked down at Zara who was barely moving "You think she would want to?" he asked and Sydney smiled.

"I think so" she reached up and brushed some stray hairs off the young girls face "She can always sleep in the car"

"True" said Vaughn. He paused and looked at her "Lets go then" he said and took his arm from around her to pick Zara up more securely. With that movement she woke up and jumped out of his arms startled. She seemed to shake herself then smiled at them.

"Sorry" she said "Where are we going?"

"Skating if that's ok with you?" said Vaughn looking at her. She nodded. "Can you skate?" he asked.

"I spent three years in Russia when I was small and I'm a quarter Russian" she said "Of course I can skate it's basically a compulsory sport"

"Ok, ok" said Sydney "Lets go then" They all got into the car and Zara stayed awake for the journey his time. They got to the rink fairly quickly and Zara annoyed the two of them by being able to skate in some ways better than them and she picked up hockey really quickly. As well as finding some Chinese tourists to annoy or talk to. Whatever she had said made them swarm over and talk to Sydney and Vaughn at great length in broken English. Sydney shot daggers at Zara who was trying not to laugh. She herded them into a group after that and they all went away.

"What did you say to them?" asked Sydney skating up behind her gracefully then was caught by Vaughn as she didn't stop.

"That you were my parents" she said "It was them that started talking to me" she said "I don't know why they found you so fascinating" she said looking at them with innocent eyes.

"Alright" said Vaughn narrowing his eyes at her. He glanced at his watch "We should get going we only have 45 minutes"

"Ok" said Sydney. They skated off Vaughn holding her around the waist to make sure she didn't fall over. Zara decided to ignore it when they were still holding each other fairly close as they walked to the car.

TBC

Hope you like. I'll update quicker next time.


	6. Chapter 6

Thanks for the reviews

Here's the next part.

Half an hour later they were walking into the park to sit down on the bench and wait for Jack and Dixon. Zara had a bottle of water which she wasn't drinking very much of but spinning it round like a cocktail shaker.

"Not even going to ask" said Vaughn as he noticed what she was doing.

"Good" said Zara laughing slightly. As she threw the bottle up Sydney put a hand out and caught it before she could making Vaughn laugh "Hey" said Zara Sydney smiled and did some moves of her own before throwing it back.

"I wasn't aware that you got trained in cocktail shaking" said Vaughn.

"I wasn't" said Sydney "This is from being a bartender with Francie one summer it isn't really that difficult"

"You try" said Zara throwing it up towards him. He managed to catch it and attempted to spin it but it didn't quite work.

"Not every one finds it easy" said Sydney and Vaughn threw the bottle at her which she just caught. "Don't get jealous" she said smiling at him.

They spent the rest of the time teaching Vaughn how to do it. They barely noticed when Jack walked up to them they were all laughing so hard.

"So much for keeping a look out" he said almost smiling at his daughter seeming relaxed around Vaughn.

"Dad" said Sydney getting up and hugging him. "Sorry we didn't notice you"

"Luke" said Vaughn offering his hand which he shook.

"James" he looked down at Zara "And there's my Granddaughter. You've really grown" he said and hugged her tightly. Zara was in shock not to mention Sydney and Vaughn but they all recovered quickly and looked pleased to see him.

"Why is everyone telling me I've grown lately" she said "I have hardly grown in six months"

"Oh hush Megan" said Sydney.

"When is Thomas getting her Helen?" asked Jack.

"Oh he should be coming any time now" she turned to Zara "He has some photos for you to look at too Meg" Sydney saw the girl's face freeze for a second then she smiled.

"Ok" The adults sat on the bench while Zara sat on the grass leaning against the bench throwing the bottle up in the air every so often. Sydney caught it once in awhile just to annoy her. They were talking about stupid things waiting for Dixon who walked up about ten minutes later. They all stood to greet him.

Dixon looked at the innocent looking child standing in between Sydney and Vaughn with a smile on her face. Her eyes didn't go unnoticed by him though, fear was one of the emotions swirling in there as well as a maturity at hiding it that she shouldn't have had. He smiled at her after he had said his hellos.

"You're the famous Megan then" he said offering his hand to shake which she took "We meet at last. I've heard a lot about you, your Grandfather likes to boast" she smiled.

"Nice to meet you too" she said in her British accent. She looked at him with respect.

"Lets walk" said Jack.

They walked off together talking about anything but Zara was becoming more and more quiet as they did walk. Both Sydney and Vaughn noticed this they shared a glance before each putting a hand on her shoulders she half smiled at them. They were walking to the ring on trees they had gone to earlier.

They went in separately Zara first then Sydney and Vaughn together then Dixon and finally Jack who had contacted the agents in the park to make sure no one came near them.

Zara was sitting on the branch again looking through photographs while the adults were talking. She found three that she recognised but they weren't covenant. She jumped silently off the branch and walked over to them handing Dixon the folders and showing them the three photos.

"These three need to be warned that they are after them" she said "I can't remember if it's just surveillance or if there has been attempts but I would warn them."

They nodded and she walked back over to the tree and pulled herself onto a branch letting them talk about things until they were ready for her. She had been half asleep when they called her but still fully alert. She jumped out of the tree and walked over. Vaughn was setting up a video recorder.

"We have to Zara" said Sydney after seeing the girl's expression. "To prove it's true and to show to higher up and this way you only have to repeat it once" Zara nodded and decided to ignore it. Dixon and Jack turned to her. She sat down her back to a tree they were both looking down on her.

"Ok Zara?" said Vaughn smiling at her

"Yeah" she said and Sydney and Vaughn stood to one side of her while Dixon and Jack stood in front.

"Right" said Dixon "Interrogating informant who's given name is Little. The date it Monday the 3rd of May. Agent Jack Bristow will carry out the interrogation."

Jack stepped forward "Start time 14:28. What's your name?" he asked.

"Zara Katherine Hardin Thompson"

"How old are you?"

"14"

"When and where were you born?" asked Jack

"14th May 1990 in St Helen's hospital in Melbourne Australia"

"Who are your parents?"

She swallowed before answering "Ivan and Josette Thompson, born on 12th December 1954 and 1st July 1962"

"Do you have any siblings?"

"Two brothers and a sister"

"What are their names and when were they born?"

"Daniel Nicolas Hardin Thompson born 29th November 1982, James Guillaume Hardin Thompson born 30th January 1985 and Anna Theresa Hardin Thompson born 1st September 1995"

"Are they all still alive?"

"I don't know" she said quietly "My parents are dead. One of my brothers may be dead and I don't know about Anna. I have had no contact with them for over three years"

"When did your parents die?" asked Jack more gently than before.

"13th or 14th of April 2001 I wasn't sure of the time" she had an expressionless face but her eyes were starting to fill with tears.

"How did they die?"

"They were murdered" she said firmly and at this point Vaughn started to turn away trying to hide his emotions. Sydney noticed and put a hand on his arm. Zara continued "They were tortured" she swallowed hard "They were beaten, whipped, burned, and electrocuted. They were also emotionally abused and in other ways" she closed her eyes and took a deep breath and went to elaborate but couldn't say it and Jack cut in.

"Yes I understand" said Jack his best poker face was beginning to crack at what this girl was telling him "You saw this"

"No" she said quickly "I was told. They died when they were electrocuted my father had a heart disease. They had to watch me being tortured as well."

"Who did this to them?"

"The Covenant" she said.

"Who exactly?"

"Lauren Reed was in charge, directed it all and did some, mostly to me" she said shakily. "There were others used but they were killed as well"

"Are you part of the covenant?"

"I was" she said "I never wanted to be, it was forced and I didn't even know what it was until four or five years ago"

"When were you recruited?"

"On the 16th of May 1998. My family was told that I had been chosen to go to a specialist school in France. My parents were thrilled." She swallowed.

"What happened when you got there?"

"I met with the other people that were recruited. For the first three months it was just like a normal school we were taught all the normal things lots of sport and fighting training as well as languages"

"What happened after that?"

"We were taught how to shoot, load all types of weapon and drive vehicles and we weren't allowed to see our parents" she sighed "We only went home for two days in the whole year to be with our family. I don't know what they were told but we weren't allowed to talk about what we really learnt. They knew if we did. That gave them more power over us we thought they could see us wherever we were but it was just microphones. I was the youngest so I was the first to be sent out on a mission for some obscure reason"

"What were you to them?"

"We were an experiment, a means to acquire artefacts and assassins"

"You said there were others recruited. Who were they?"

"Matthias Anderlohr, Helen Smith, Olive Sperelli, Anya Vanisovitch, Shen-Lei Sying, Jacque Hagg and Edek Licht"

"When were they born?"

"Matthias was born on 2nd February 1984, Anya 17th April 1984, Helen 5th July 1985, Jacque 14th September 1986, Olive 1st May 1986, Shen 28th December 1987 and Edek was born on 30th November 1989"

"How many are still alive?"

"None" she whispered closing her eyes for a moment.

"Can you tell us when they died and how?"

She nodded and began to speak quietly

"Matthias was beaten to death by them after he got angry and nearly killed a teacher at the school we were sent to. He died on the 18th December 1998.

Helen was shot on a mission and couldn't recover. She died on the 8th June 2000.

Olive and Anya got caught in crossfire whilst on a mission and were captured. They broke under interrogation. We got them back then they were killed by the higher up for it. We tried to save them but we were beaten and locked up for weeks with nothing to survive on. Olive died on the 13th May 2001 and Anya on the 15th."

She drew in a shaky breath and wiped her eyes.

"Shen became infected by a virus on a mission she died of that, she just wasted away. She died on the 3rd September 2003 in Jacque's arms, needless to say he got the virus as well but he was cured. However" she said taking a deep breath "It had caused the leukaemia he already had to take over more rapidly. No one knew he had it. They wouldn't even pay for his treatment" she was getting angry "We did, just. It didn't kill him though no he died on the 31st of December 2003 protecting me. They were going to kill me they had a gun to my head." She looked at the floor "He told them to shoot him instead they just laughed and stepped back. They went to shoot me but he pushed me down and took the bullet and died. I killed those men." She added in a whisper "And I promised myself I would never hurt in anger."

She paused

"Lastly" she took another shuddering breath visibly calming herself and letting herself fall into emotionless state "Edek, he was shot in the shoulder, we were on a bridge and the only way we could hide was to hang over the side but he couldn't. He pushed me down and made me stay there and took them on himself he nearly beat them too.

I got back over and helped him but more came and we were forced onto the sidewall of the bridge. He fell over the edge and the current must have taken him all I could do was scream for him and keep fighting them until help came and they ran away. I looked over and couldn't see any sign of him except his hat there was also blood on the water how it was still there I don't know but it was and we retrieved his hat it was bloodstained they must have managed to shoot him as he fell" she looked up at the adults fixing them with a steely gaze "He died 6 six weeks ago on the 22nd March 2004"

They all looked at her. Zara wasn't looking at them but at the ground next to her trying to control her emotions. Jack and Dixon shared a look.

"We'll have a break" said Dixon "Interrogation paused at 14:55 to continue at a later date" after he said that he turned to camera off.

TBC

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	7. Chapter 7

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Here's the next part.

Zara didn't notice what was going on until Vaughn touched her on the shoulder offering her a drink. She smiled weakly and shook her head she was having trouble enough keeping her stomach down at the moment without adding anything else to it. Vaughn crouched down in front of her and took her chin in his hand gently making her look at him.

"Zara" he said and sighed "Well done" Her eyes widened in shock at those words and he smiled slightly "What did you think I was going to say little one?"

"I don't know" she said looking at him "Not that"

"That was obvious" She gave him a look and he smiled. He looked behind him and smiled at Sydney. She walked over and sat next to her.

"Well done" she said quietly.

"Why is everyone saying that?" she asked innocently.

"Because those questions were hard to answer and you did without cracking completely" said Sydney.

"But I did crack I was crying"

"Yes but you still told us" said Vaughn. He smiled then put his head on one side "Just take a compliment ok?"

"Ok" She tried to smile but her tears her starting to spill over. Sydney put an arm around her and Vaughn sat on her other side.

"You can cry" said Vaughn softly "It is allowed"

"No" Zara was shaking her head "I have to keep things under control"

"Let go" said Sydney "You need to trust me I know"

"No" Zara was shaking with emotion "I can't"

She moved away to the other side of the clearing and sat with her head on her knees curled up arms around her head. She was visibly trembling. Jack and Dixon had looked up at this sudden movement. They looked from Sydney and Vaughn to Zara.

"We shouldn't have pushed her" said Sydney guiltily.

"I know" he said putting a hand on her arm. Sydney got up pulling him after her she walked over to Zara and knelt in front of her. She didn't touch her but the young girl still shrank away.

"I'm sorry Zara" Zara looked up at the sincere apology.

She looked so lost Sydney just wanted to hug her and take all this away. Zara tried to speak but gave up and just smiled shakily. Sydney put a hand on her arm and smiled at her she carefully sat next to her. Zara was still trembling slightly so Sydney gently rubbed her back to calm her down. It seemed to work her breathing became steadier and she stopped shaking.

She looked up at the adults suddenly she took a shocked breath and stood up quickly running into the trees. Sydney followed her quickly following the sound of coughing. When she found Zara she was covering up what she had done.

She was white and leaning against a tree. She pushed herself off it and walked to another tree. She fell down onto her knees. Her head fell into her hands and she started to whisper

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" she was crying "I couldn't save any of you"

She tried to speak again but couldn't and ended up punching the tree sobbing. Sydney ran over and held her back she fought her hard and got away only to run into Vaughn's arms who held her tight. She fought against him too but quickly gave up and fell to the ground taking him with her. Sydney ran over and held the young girl letting Vaughn call the others.

"It's alright we're about hundred meters away. We'll be back soon" he said into his phone closing it before they could even reply.

He knelt down again next to Sydney and Zara he stroked the child's hair while Sydney kept a firm grip on her to make her feel secure. Zara was crying almost uncontrollably and had latched onto Sydney's sleeve. They just sat with her quietly comforting her after half an hour in which Jack had found them seen what was happening and told them they weren't needed for the rest of the day. Sydney and Vaughn had smiled at that and thanked him. They had been surprised when he leant down and touched Zara's face showing his concern for the girl.

Right now Zara was half asleep trying as had as she could to not go to sleep. Ten minutes later she had fallen asleep the emotions had exhausted her.

"She seems to sleep a lot doesn't she?" said Sydney.

"I know but it's good for her" he gently picked her up out of Sydney's hold "I still can't believe how light she is or how she can pass for 16"

"I know she barely looks 12. That might be because we've only seen her scared though"

"Yeah" he sighed he knew they avoiding the subject of what she had been through "Where shall we go now?"

"We?" she was surprised.

"What I'm not going to leave you here?" he looked at her "Your car is still at work anyway. Come on I'll give you a lift."

"Ok" she said "What are we going to do with little one?"

"To be honest I have no idea" he thought "Do you want to ring your father and see if we have to take her back now or later?"

"Ok" She took out her phone and speed dialled her father's number after talking to him for a few minutes she turned back to Vaughn. "Well he said that we can take her back anytime but if we go out we have to be a family again. He also said that you have to go…go home tonight you can't avoid Lauren. You have to act as if nothing has happened so that they can catch her in the act. You have to act Vaughn"

"I can't" he hissed his eyes clouding over in anger.

"Vaughn listen to me we'll talk about this later, please. We need to get Zara somewhere safe." She thought "Shall we go to the warehouse?"

"Yeah" he nodded "Lets go there it's safe she doesn't know about it" Sydney smiled at that trying to calm him down.

They walked out of the trees and out of the park quickly, reaching Vaughn's car in five minutes. They carefully put Zara in the back then drove off.

TBC

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	8. Chapter 8

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Here's the next part.

They drove to the warehouse the really long way round to make sure they weren't being followed, once Vaughn was sure they went straight there. It was a fairly quiet journey Sydney had put some music on at his request and they were quietly listening to Coldplay.

He pulled up round the back of the warehouse and stopped the car Sydney went to get out of the car but when she noticed he hadn't moved she sat back and looked at him.

"You ok?" she asked.

"What?" he shook his head slightly then smiled "Oh yes I'm good. Just thinking"

"About what?"

"Um us actually" her heart quickened "I was thinking about how we grew to know each other in there" he gestured at the warehouse. He paused and looked at her for a moment

"I used to come here to think about you when you were missing. I'd just sit on the crate and pretend I was waiting for you to come. That you would walk in with a smile on your face telling me not to be so early and we'd just talk. You never came though I used to come a lot but then less and less. I was here when they called me to say you were alive." He smiled "I couldn't help thinking that it paid off you had come back, all that time had paid off" he sighed "But…"

"I know" she said gingerly putting a hand on his. He tensed at the contact so much that she jerked her hand away but he caught hold of it and held it tightly. Rubbing his thumb over the back of it lightly he said

"I'm so glad you are alive Syd and I'm sorry"

"I know"

"Don't give up on me completely"

"I never would" she said smiling at him. He smiled back and squeezed her hand affectionately. "Shall we go inside?" she asked after a minute.

"Yeah" he said and smiled at her "Yeah" She shook her head chuckling slightly getting out of the car. He got Zara out of the back and Sydney got a beanie from the seat putting it on her head. "Why?" he said

"I don't know if they still have this place under then they can't see her as easily"

"Good point as usual" he nodded smiling and they walked inside. It was just as she remembered the same crates, no chairs but some blankets in the corner. She spread one over a long crate and Vaughn laid Zara on it and Sydney put another over her. Zara curled up and gripped the blanket pulling it round herself unconsciously but only using a small part.

"What do we do now?" asked Sydney.

"I have no idea Syd" he breathed out noisily "Talk. We could talk I feel like I haven't _really _talked to you in decades"

"Ok" she waved her hand and chuckled slightly "What would you like to talk about?"

"Your…uh…childhood pets"

"You think I had childhood pets with my parents" she laughed then stopped "Well actually there was Squeaker"

"Who was Squeaker?"

"He was my pet mouse"

"You had a pet mouse" he smiled "But I'd bet he wasn't allowed"

"No, god no" she laughed "Mum freaked when she found him. I was only about 5 I think. She was terrified of him but let me keep him" They were both laughing Vaughn leant against a crate.

"Irina Derevko is scared of mouses" said Vaughn. Sydney burst out laughing again at this. "What?" he was confused.

"Mouses?"

"Yeah what's so bad about that?"

"Vaughn it's _mice_" trying to sound serious.

"I didn't say mice" she shook her head. "Oops" She kept laughing at him and he put on a hurt look "Hey! Stop laughing at me"

She didn't stop so he grabbed her waist and started to tickle her mercilessly. She twisted and caught him off balance making him fall on top of her. They both froze staring at each other Vaughn carefully reached up to her face and brushed the hair lightly out of her eyes.

She smiled at him but her eyes had fear in them so he just kissed her forehead and moved off her standing up and helping her to her feet. There wasn't any discomfort between them surprisingly they sat and talked about lots of things they hadn't for a long time.

It was about half an hour before Zara moved at all. She was dreaming the ritual nightmare she had had for the last few weeks, well it was the same one she had had since Matthias had died but it only grew worse over time. This one had a running film of all their deaths leaving her parents and Edek until last.

_Dream:_

_She saw them in pain she reached out for them trying to get to them and rip the bonds off. Her mother and fathers' faces turned to her crying._

"_Why did you do this to us?" they said "Why did you kill us?"_

"_I didn't I'm going to get you out" _

_She was still trying to free them but then **she **came before Zara had always shrunk back but this time she kept trying to free her parents. She was hit and whipped. There were screams from everywhere they became too much and she shrank back hands over her ears._

"_You gave up on us" voices were screaming at her. _

_Suddenly she was at the bridge in with Edek. It was daylight and he was holding her shoulders. She looked around it looked like Poland._

"_What is it Zebs?" he asked. She looked around again and then at him backing away._

"_You're dead"_

"_No I'm not" he looked at her "I'm right here. I'll never leave you" he put a hand on her cheek "Feel that I'm real"_

"_Thank god" she hugged him tight willing to be taken in for the moment._

"_Something really freaked you didn't it"_

"_Just bad thoughts you know" he nodded_

"_I know" he said and put an arm around her shoulders "We have to stay strong together eh?"_

"_Yep" she held her hand out and they did their handshake._

"_EZ" they said together "The unbeatable team" They laughed and he pulled her close again._

"_It'll be fine tonight Zebs. Let's make the most_ _of being home"_

"_Well your home but yeah" they walked off together. _

_It changed again and Edek was leaning against her bleeding._

"_Bollocks" he cursed trying to stop the bleeding._

"_You're hurt let me do it. What happened?"_

"_I was too slow. Tie this off" _

_She quickly ripped the bottom of her t-shirt and tied it around his shoulder. The scene changed again and they were fighting off the soldiers but she was next to him this time. She saw it all a soldier had him pressed up to the railing and she_ _threw her knife it hit the guard but he fell on Edek's bad side causing him to cry out in pain and loose his balance. _

_She watched him start to fall and ran to help him but was attacked and held back by **her**, she was back again whispering in her ear._

"_You do realise you killed him don't you?"_

"_No let me go." She struggled against her "Edek" she screamed._

"_Zebs!" he yelled "Help" She tried to get to him but the were holding her too tight and she thrashed widely still not managing to get away._

Sydney and Vaughn were trying to calm her down. It was obvious that she was having a nightmare and crying out in an unfamiliar language.

"Zara" shouted Sydney for the fifth time while Vaughn tried to hold her still.

She surprised them both by sitting bolt upright and fighting them both off pinning to them to the ground before she even opened her eyes. When she did she was shaking with fear and jumped off them quickly.

"I'm sorry"

"It's ok" said Vaughn getting up and helping Sydney to her feet. He moved his shoulder gently "Man if that was you half asleep I do _not _want to fight you awake" he attempted to make her smile.

It didn't work she was still backed against a crate looking like a scared animal caught in the headlights.

"Zara" said Sydney gently "Are you alright?"

Zara seemed to gain control of her breathing and her voice and she straightened up still trembling but quelling it.

"I'm fine I just had a very bad dream" she smiled or tried to "I'm used to them" She looked at them smiling a smile that didn't reach her eyes and said "What are we going to do now?"

"Are you sure your alright?" asked Sydney looking closely at her.

"Yep" she said nodded and waving their concern away "Have them all the time"

Vaughn shook his head then asked her a question

"What language were you speaking?"

"Uh probably polish"

"Ah" said Vaughn. They sat in a tense silence for some minutes until Zara spoke up.

"Uh what's going to happen now?"

"Well we can do what we like really" said Vaughn

"Do I have to go back?"

"Yes" he sighed "Well what would you like to do?"

"I don't know" she jumped off the crate she was sitting on and walked it the chain link fence and leaned on it. "I'd like to get my stuff and the folders from my rooms"

"You're suggesting that we go back to where the Covenant could be?" asked Vaughn.

"They don't know where I'm staying they think I'm in some hotel they paid for. There are also some interesting characters that you guys would probably want to meet. They know more about the…politics of it than I do they helped us to keep out of too much trouble with them"

"Are you sure we can trust them?"

"Yes besides they know that if I don't come back in six hours they make a call in for me" she shrugged "They can pass the message that I'm dead but for that I need to tell them or the lovelies will most probably start a search for me."

"Ok" said Sydney "We'll go"

"No you don't understand I have to go" she sighed "They do _not _trust people full stop. I'm not lying if you walked in there with me your chances of coming out alive would be very, very slim. They know most of you lot and will think you're there for them"

"But you are not allowed to go anywhere without us" said Vaughn.

"You can come in but after I have talked to them and you have to promise not to carry weapons or even attempt to touch them"

"Why?" asked Sydney cautiously

"They'll hurt you. I'll restrain them as much as I can but there is only so much I can do so you have to do as I say" Sydney and Vaughn looked at each other with a doubting gaze "Please have I given you any reason to doubt me yet"

"No" said Vaughn

"Then please trust me" They both looked at her then at each other again.

"Ok" said Sydney. Zara smiled.

"Let's go" said Vaughn and with that they walked out of the building.

TBC

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	9. Chapter 9

Thanks for the reviews

Here's the next part.

They got into the car Zara giving them directions to the other end of town. Once they arrived Zara quickly briefed them.

"Right I will go in first and if I don't come out within an hour leave just go because it probably means someone's waiting for me. When I come out I will put some money in that parking meter" she pointed at the one two spaces ahead "If there is 10 cents come in ten minutes 5 then five. Get the pattern" they both nodded "If I put a dollar in there drive down the street until you come to a small supermarket go inside and mill around. I'll meet you in there"

"What does that mean?" asked Vaughn "And we are not going to leave you Zara"

"You _have _to" she breathed out calming herself down "Do you want to be tortured and killed? To have everything taken from you?" she asked and they shook their heads slowly "Then do as I tell you. I will find a way back and the dollar means that they don't want you to come in so I'll get the stuff and leave"

"Are you sure this will work?" asked Sydney

"No but now is the time to find out" she went to open the door then stopped again "And by the way when you come pretend to be tourists. What language can you both speak?"

"French" said Vaughn

"Good ok they speak French just speak that ok?" they nodded "See you in a bit"

"Good luck" they said together.

She got out of the car pulled the hat down further over her eyes and walked over the road plaiting her hair as she went. She walked into a small bar with the legend "Jokers Bar for all you loonies" written across a large sign.

They waited for about twenty minutes listening to the radio quietly and pretending to be reading. Sydney put a hand on Vaughn's arm and he looked up. They saw Zara jogging across the road and put some money in the parking meter, she didn't even look in their direction but walked back across the road and walked into the bar.

Vaughn got out of the car after she was safely inside and went to the meter. When he got back in the car he showed her the coin.

"Five minutes then" she said and he nodded. He looked at her.

"Are you alright with this?"

"Yeah I suppose. She really has given us no reason not to trust her and you can't fake reactions like that"

"I know" he said stretching his arms "I just don't want to go in there unarmed it seems like a rough place"

"Yeah" she looked at the clock "Shall we go mon amie?"

"Oui, nous allons maintenant" (Yes we go now) he got out and she followed him. He locked the car then walked over to where she was standing on the other side of the road.

"Ok?" he whispered

"Yeah I think so"

They walked inside Vaughn put a hand on her lower back to make sure they stayed close together. It took several seconds for their eyes to adjust to the dimmer light inside. They both scanned the room for Zara, they saw her at the bar sitting on a tall stool talking quietly to the barman who seemed to know her.

The barman himself couldn't have been more than a few years younger than Sydney but seemed older. He was tall with short black hair and almost black eyes he had a scar running from his hairline to just above his left eyebrow and then it curved back to his hairline. He looked at them as they walked over and sat at the bar near to Zara.

"What can I get you?"

"Je ne comprend pas, nous sommes français" said Vaughn smiling (I don't understand, we are French.)

"Ah ok" he said turned to Zara who took the mat on the bar and turned it round 180 degrees "Well Little you are the linguist can you talk to these customers?" he asked Zara who nodded.

"Course Boom" she turned to them and something flickered in the depth of her eyes

"Salut. Voulez vous une boisson?" (Hello would you like a drink?)

"Oh svp" (Oh please) said Sydney "Nous voyagions pour 3 heures. Peut-être un jus d'orange?" (We have been travelling for 3 hours. Maybe an orange juice?)

"Je peux avoir une limonade svp?" said Vaughn (Can I have a lemonade please?)

"A lemonade and an orange juice" said Zara to the bartender seemingly called Boom.

Zara continued to talk to them as Boom disappeared to find the drinks.

"Es tu ok?" said Sydney (Are you ok?)

"Oui" she said "Ils veulent parler avec vos, dans 5 minutes. Nous allons aller dans la salle dernier. Vous pouvez parler anglais la." (They want to talk with you, in 5 minutes. We are going to go into the back room. You can talk English there)

"Ok" said Vaughn "As-tu tes affaires?" (Do you have your things?)

"Non" she said "Je les récupérerais après" (No. I'll get them after)

"Ok"

They talked for five more minutes in which Boom came back with their drinks. Zara led them to the back of the bar as Boom shooed the other customer out and shut up. As the customer left Zara started to talk in English.

"You have a French parent don't you?" she asked Vaughn.

"Yes, my mother. How could you tell?"

"You always can; they, we speak differently with an accent. She's from…Normandy isn't she?"

"Yes, you speak like a Parisian"

"Mum lived in Paris growing up"

Sydney listened to them talk about France as they waited for the door to open. She couldn't help thinking about their failed dinner date. They fell silent as the door opened. Zara gave them an encouraging smile as she walked in. She wasn't frisked for weapons but they were by the man who stood by the door.

After being cleared they followed Zara through another door and into a large well lit room. There were 6 people sitting round the table ages ranging from about 18 to 50.

The youngest was a girl with bobbed red hair then Boom the bartender then another of about the same age but he had brown dreadlocks. The next was a woman in who looked about the same age as the bartender. She looked like a business woman in a suit with black hair and eyes.

The two furthest away were the oldest. Both men were in their late fifties one already had white hair and piercing blue eyes. The other's hair only had a few streaks of grey. Zara bowed to them with a smile on her face. They got up to greet her all six hugging her and speaking words of welcome.

Zara was seated between the two old men and they spoke to her of a minute before they looked at Sydney and Vaughn. They stood to attention as all six looked them over then the man sitting on Zara's right spoke up (the one with white hair.)

"Wy jesteście jego córka" Sydney and Vaughn looked at Zara to translate.

"One nie rozumieją Pa" said Zara (They don't understand you Pa)

"Wy tłumaczycie potem, Zara" he said and she nodded. (You translate then Zara)

"I'm going to translate for you" she said "Pa says 'You are Jack Bristow's daughter'" the old man was looking at Sydney then said something else "He is honoured to meet the daughter who has helped to try and bring them down and" she paused to listen "The two of you have caused quite an impression on them"

The man's gaze fixed on Vaughn and he was taken aback to find compassion there and he started to speak

"He says he is sorry that you were a mission if…if he had know she was here he would have made sure she was…taken care of. He says he knows what it like to be used by someone you think loves you" Vaughn smiled

"Thank you" he said looking at the man who nodded his understanding. The man on Zara's right spoke up.

"We are all grateful to you for keeping our Little safe" he had a thick Russian accent. He got up and started to walk around the table

"We would like to help you. May I introduce you to Jackie Killian" he put his hands on the shoulders of the youngest nodded her head to them "She is the best at strategies I have ever seen no mission that she has planned has failed."

The young girl blushed at the compliment and frowned at him he smiled. He moved onto the next man

"This is Jacob Filipov normally know as Boomerang, Boom for short. He gathers information also a bit of a tech wizard and my son" he moved on to the man with dreadlocks "This is our weapons expert, Thomas Jackson and this" he put his hands affectionately on the young woman's shoulders "is my daughter Anna Filipov she takes care of the general running of things from money to discipline even is she is a bit hard on her brother"

The woman narrowed her eyes at her father who just carried on around the table

"And last but not least is Yann Kowal he is our contact and another informant. I am Ivan Filipov."

Sydney and Vaughn shared a glance at the name they could tell from the other's face that it was familiar

"I know you are Sydney Bristow but I do not know your friend's name."

"My name is Michael Vaughn" he said "We are very pleased that you agreed to see us Mr Filipov"

Vaughn was about to say something else when he saw Mr Kowal's expression. He started to talk quickly in polish. Zara quickly translated.

"He says he recognised you when you walked in but he couldn't place it. You look very like your father"

"You knew my father?" asked Vaughn and the man nodded.

"He worked with him on many occasions. He said he was a good man and he often talked about you and your mother and showed him pictures. It was a shame about his death" Sydney stiffened at that and Vaughn noticed and put a hand on her arm. "He apologises" said Zara "He had forgotten she was your mother" Sydney smiled at the old man.

"It is ok. I shouldn't care"

"He says he knows what it is like and it was not your fault"

"Can Mr. Kowal understand English Zara?" asked Sydney

"Oh yes. Pa just hates speaking it" she smiled at the old man.

"I understand from Zara that she has to go back to the CIA" said Filipov

"Yes until this is all over it is the safest place for her" said Vaughn

"Trust me Agent Vaughn she can take care of herself easily" said Boom "She has been beating me at sparring for three years now"

"Jake" said Zara warningly he just smiled at her.

"We can help you capture her" said Filipov.

"You will have to talk to the CIA about that" said Sydney warily. Kowal started to speak.

"He says that they will need their help setting it up and as long as they can overlook a few things they will help bring the them down." Zara translated then said

"Syd, Vaughn these people you see here have kept me alive for the best part of 6 years and they are big names in there. They have the power to get the intelligence you need and the power to set you free from all this." She looked at the people round the table eyes settling on Filipov "A lot of these people have done things that they would be killed for but it was for the Covenant when they didn't know what it was"

"We are trying to turn more agents over all the time some come over and some don't but they will never tell" said Anna "My brother can get anybody to listen to him and he has turned many agents"

"We will have to have you talk to my father and Dixon" said Sydney.

"That is ok" said Anna "We will have to work out the best way we can help you"

Kowal started to speak again and Zara translated

"He said we should go now and come back in three days with everyone needed to make this work they will send word of where to meet and when using the usual procedures. I know them don't worry."

"Ok we'll go now and meet in three days then" said Filipov the rest sitting at the table nodded "Is that alright with you two?" Sydney and Vaughn looked at each other then nodded. "Jake give Zee the key to her room"

Everybody got up and walked out the door.

Once they were in the bar Boom walked behind the bar and picked up a key throwing to Zara who caught it neatly throwing him a coin back. He looked at it and mimed throwing it back at her with force. She didn't flinch just stick her tongue out at him.

"You English and your measly tips" he grinned at her.

"But I'm not really that English am I?"

"Then the blame passes onto the French and Russian's too"

"You're Russian you idiot"

"I know and I know we are tight fisted bastards apart from when drunk"

"Oh shut up" she said "I'll see you in three days"

"Ok Zee. See you" Zara turned to Sydney and Vaughn.

"Do you want to go?"

"Where is your room?" asked Sydney

"Across the street right by where we're parked actually" she smiled at them "Come on"

TBC

Hope you like.


	10. Chapter 10

Thanks for the reviews

Here's the next part.

They just follow her out and into the street not saying anything. She crossed the road quickly and they jogged to keep up. She looked at them as they stood behind her. She unlocked the door and opened it. There was another door right behind it with a key code and a retinal scan, she typed it in quickly then leant down.

It swung open and revealed a small hallway with a man sitting in it. He had has a gun lazily pointing at them

"Where've you been for the last two nights Zee?" he asked

"I was briefed Keeps" she said.

"Who are the other two?"

Sydney and Vaughn looked at him surprised as he hadn't even looked up yet.

"Unarmed and trustworthy. Probably not harmless but they are with me so leave 'em ok?"

"As you say Zee"

"Good" she turned to her companions "Don't mind Keeps too much. Lets go up"

She started up the stairs, jumping to three at a time. Vaughn just looked at her.

"Is there a reason you're doing that?" he asked.

"Not really" Zara called from the top of the stairs. Sydney had followed her up more sedately and turned halfway up the stairs.

"Come on old man" she said teasing. He frowned at her and walked up the stairs.

They found Zara in the last room of the corridor. It was a surprisingly nice room compared to what the building looked like. They sat down on the sofa while Zara looked for things.

She threw a few files, two books and a box onto the desk then got up onto her bed. She started to jump on it then did a back flip kicking her legs at the ceiling and landed on her front bouncing onto her feet. Sydney shook her head as she saw the hole in the ceiling.

"What?" asked Zara

"Never mind" Sydney waved it away "What have you got up there then?"

"My stuff" she was bouncing again catching the edge of the hole and pulling herself up into it quickly.

She dropped several things down before lowering herself down again and swinging so she landed on the floor with a file in her teeth. Once her feet hit the floor she pulled the file out of her trying to get the taste out of her mouth screwing up her face.

"That tastes disgusting"

"What is all this stuff?" asked Vaughn walking up to look at the files on the bed.

"Information on missions we've been on and other stuff about them" she took one of the files away "There are more at all of our safe houses we thought shouldn't have it all in one place in case we get found out"

"Smart move" said Sydney.

"Well we were supposed to be smart kids" she said then sneezed suddenly causing her to drop the file she was holding.

Some of the contents fell out Zara didn't notice until Sydney picked up two of the photos. Zara froze and watched her look at them.

One of the pictures she held was of Zara's family, it was obvious. The other was of her and a young boy. He only looked a year or so older then her and it was obviously a recent photo as she didn't look much different. He was only about a head taller than her.

He had shaggy black hair and was as skinny as she was but the thing that really caught Sydney's attention was his eyes. They were deep brown and even in the picture they were filled with the same emotional turmoil as Zara's were most of the time. In this picture they were laughing standing next to each other on a branch of a tree, they had an arm around each others waists to help with balance. They seemed to be having a good time.

"Is this Edek?" asked Sydney handing her back the photo.

"Yeah that was in February in France somewhere"

"And this is your family" said Vaughn taking the picture from Sydney

"Yep our last day together" she sighed.

The two adults looked at the photo it showed a happy family. Zara was sat on top of her brothers shoulders and her parents holding her younger sister sat in front. They looked happy and Vaughn turned it over to read the date on the back, 5th of April.

"Do you want to see one of us all together?" she asked.

"Ok" said Sydney.

Zara pulled out what looked very much like a class photo. All the children were wearing the same black, white, orange and light blue uniform. They were wearing black blazers with white shirts for the girls and light blue ones for the boys. All of them had the black, orange and blue striped ties on and black trousers or pleated skirt. The blazers had the covenant mark on their blazers and on the boys hats.

"I hate that uniform" she said "It's starched which means you could hardly move in it"

"Sounds lovely" said Vaughn sarcastically

"The names are on the back. You can keep that one I prefer the ones that aren't connected with them."

"I can understand that" said Vaughn "Are we about ready to go then?"

"One more thing" she gathered the files put the photo's in her pocket as well as a roll of cloth.

She picked up the box she had thrown on the desk. Opening it she lifted out a tray and then another lastly coming to a small key. She took it out and walked over to the opposite wall. Sydney and Vaughn's eyes followed her the whole way, she put the key in a near non existent hole and turned it.

What opened was a small cupboard it only had four things in it a necklace, a metal chain made of small links, a bracelet and a ring. Zara slipped all of these on carefully. It was only as Sydney watched her put them on she noticed that she was still wearing the fingerless gloves and were in fact the only thing she had kept from her original attire and decided to ask her about it later.

The jewellery she was wearing was all silver and all in a fairly similar style. Zara held onto the necklace after she put it on for a second before putting it under her shirt. She felt better once she felt the coolness of the metal at her finger, wrist and neck, it was normal and she had missed it greatly. She put the chain into her pocket.

She turned back to the others.

"Shall we go now?" she asked.

"Alright then"

Sydney picked up a couple of files as did Vaughn and Zara picked up the books then they walked downstairs. They said a hesitant goodbye to Keeps who still had a gun trained on them then walked out to the car. They put the files in the back then got in.

It was a quiet drive back. They were all thinking about their own things. Zara was looking at her bracelet closely and fiddling with it. Once they had reached headquarters it was about 5 o'clock. Zara was again whisked off via the back stairs to her cell.

Sydney and Vaughn carried the files in and brought them to Dixon. Vaughn did not want to find Lauren but Dixon made it clear that he had to act normally around her. He sighed and ran a hand over his face and through his hair.

"Is she still here?" he asked.

"Yes" said Dixon "We have bugged her and your home as well"

"I understand" said Vaughn "Have you done the car?" Dixon nodded. "Good"

He looked so defeated that is was all Sydney could do not to hold him or take his hand. He looked over at her and smiled but it was far too strained and so tired.

"I'm going to go home"

He stood and looked at Sydney. She said goodbye to Dixon and followed him out. They walked together down to the car park. As they walked their arms brushed against each other from time to time, they seemed to take strength from that.

Once they reached the car park and Sydney's car they stood facing each other for a minute before Vaughn reached for her hand and she let him take it then pulled him into a tight embrace. He buried his face into her hair taking great comfort in the familiar smell and texture of it. Sydney was quietly whispering to him

"It'll be ok. It will, trust me" she rubbed his back to stop the shaking that was beginning to take hold of him "It's ok Vaughn just hold onto me I'm here I won't let go of you. I'll never let you go and never give up hope in you, in….in us." He drew back slightly.

"Promise" he whispered and she nodded.

"I swear. We're going to be ok"

"Yeah we are" he said "Syd I need you"

"So do I" she sighed "We'll help each other through this. I'll be there when you need me"

"Syd" he suddenly took hold of her hands and his eyes bored into hers "I know I haven't been…well you know but I swear I'll have your back, you are not alone" he smiled remembering a conversation they had had a long time ago to him but he knew she remembered as the small smile crept onto her face "I'll always be your ally"

"I know. Me too" she looked at him then hugged him one last time before gently disengaging his arms and getting into her car.

TBC

Hope you like.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: nothing is mine

Here you go. Thanks for the reviews.

Sydney walked out of the cell block then to go back to work. She went to find her father after walking out. He was in his office looking over a report, he looked up and smiled as she walked in.

"Hey Dad"

"Hello sweetheart. Is everything ok?"

"Yeah, I just have to ask you to approve something" she said.

He pressed a button before continuing "What?"

"Well yesterday after the park we went to meet some of Zara's contacts" his eyes widened at this "They weren't Covenant or at least they are but they're trying to bring them do from the inside"

He looked at her as she told him everything that had happened yesterday. He was shocked at the mention of Yann Kowal and Ivan Filipov.

"I thought they were both dead" he said after she had finished.

"Who?" asked Sydney

"Kowal and Filipov" he said "They are good men they helped us on many occasions. They were Polish and Russian intelligence but they wanted the cold war to end as soon as possible."

"Well they want to help bring the target in and Zara said that we should go and get their help in shadowing her today"

"Does she think it's necessary?" asked Jack.

"Yes she seemed quite adamant about that" Sydney thought for a minute "She seemed scared too come to think of it."

"We should take her advice then" said Jack "I'll talk to Dixon about Weiss going there"

"Vaughn or me or both of us will have to go with him. They would probably think that they had been caught they seem to know everything that is going on"

"Then I'll talk to Dixon about the three of you going now" he got up and went to leave but Sydney started to talk again.

"Could we put Zara into a safe house rather than in that cell?" she asked "Even though I'm sure Mum enjoys having someone to talk to. She has to have lessons and it would be easier to have them in a safe house than entailing a guard to stand in the cell while the tutor is in there"

"I'll talk to Dixon" he said again "Sydney go and find Vaughn. Just get him out of everyone's hair, he's been driving everyone mad"

"How?"

"By being irritable and having sudden bursts of rage for no reason."

"Where's Lauren?"

"She's at the house preparing to go on a trip. Please Sydney go and find Agent Vaughn and calm him down. You were always the only one who could do that"

She shook her head slightly surprised that her father was encouraging her to see Vaughn.

"Alright I'll go" she said and walked out to find Vaughn.

She found him after about ten minutes of searching. He was at his desk. He didn't see her. She walked over to her desk and scribbled a quick note on a scrap of paper. She walked to his desk and stopped in front of it putting one hand on it.

"Hey" she said

"I'll get it done alright" he said not looking up

"Vaughn" Sydney sighed he was annoyed. He looked up at his name.

"Sorry Syd" he said "I'm just tired"

She smiled and put her head on one side gently pushing the note towards him. He went to get a new pen and grabbed the note at the same time.

"Aren't we all" she said "We might have to go out and about in a minute"

"Ok" he said

"See you later then"

"Ok" he said and she walked away. He continued writing for a few minutes before unfolding the note and reading it.

_Meet me in the second computer room on the left off the north corridor in 20 minutes. It's not under surveillance we can talk freely._

Pinch _S_

He smiled after he read it and quickly put it in his pocket.

Nineteen minutes later he was outside the room. He looked quickly from side to side. He gripped the folder he was holding and walked in. Sydney wasn't there yet so he just sat down in the corner of the room on the chair there. A minute later she walked in. She didn't notice him at first and let out a frustrated sigh as she put the folder she was carrying down.

"I hope that wasn't because of me" Vaughn said and she spun round to face him.

"Don't do that" she said smiling slightly "And no it wasn't I'm just tired."

"Join the club" he said stretching "So what's up?"

"Well.." then she told him all about what had happened with Zara that morning and her dad. When she was finished she walked over to him and pinched his arm.

"Hey what was that for?"

"I promised you a pinch to prove I wasn't a hallucination" she said smiling.

"Aren't I supposed to pinch you if you are supposed to be a hallucination?"

"Maybe" she said and shrugged "I don't know"

"Well then"

"Ow!" she said jumping away from him

"You're not a dream then"

"No, did you have to pinch that hard?"

"I'm sorry" he said gently stroking her arm.

"Hey I'm ok you're nothing compared to 250 pound security"

"I should hope so. I don't think I ever want to be 250 pounds thank you"

"Good" she smiled at him. She still couldn't shake the image of his lifeless eyes from his head. "Vaughn" she said quietly.

He looked up at her jade met brown. He saw some fear in those eyes. He walked over to her and opened his arms. She fell into them, not quite crying but shaking. He rubbed circles on her back.

"Syd, it's ok. I'm here tell me what wrong." He whispered and she pulled back slightly so she could look him in the eyes.

"Please be careful of her Vaughn" Sydney whispered.

"I will be" Her eyes began to fill with tears and he put a hand up to her cheek "Syd what happened?"

"It's stupid" she said breaking away from him.

"No Syd nothing that gets you this worked up is nothing" he caught her arms and turned her round to face him. "Tell me" he pleaded. She never could lie to those emerald eyes that held so much of her.

"I had a nightmare. It was horrible" she looked at the floor.

"Syd" Vaughn lifted her head holding her chin with one hand "What happened?"

"I had a flashback, Sloane was in the room talking to me about you. Saying you wouldn't be the same when I came back that you were falling for someone else. He just kept doing it then I was in my old apartment and Will was there then I walked through a door." She paused and looked at him "I saw her holding you tied up you looked hurt and scared then… then"

Vaughn hugged her close silencing her. He could guess what happened next. He didn't know what to say to comfort her properly.

"Syd, I promise I'll be careful" he whispered to her "I won't leave you again nor will I let you get hurt"

She started to sob and he rocked her gently whispering comforting words to her. It wasn't so much the dream that set Sydney off, it was everything and his promise. His words always got to her no matter how much she tried to hide the fact. They had from the very beginning, he could show he cared in a single word, gesture or look.

They stood there holding each other for awhile before Sydney calmed down enough to speak

"We'd better go and see if it has been cleared"

"Ok" he said gently letting go of her slowly, she was still nervous he could tell, at least she hadn't pulled away sooner. They stood for a second looking at each other. "You go out first" and she nodded. Just as she was about to walk out the door she turned to him and whispered.

"Stay strong"

He sighed he wanted to just kiss her and hug her to him right then and never let her go but he had to keep up this charade even when _she _wasn't here it seemed.

TBC

Hope you like.


	12. Chapter 12

Thanks for the reviews. Sorry for the wait. Here goes the next part.

Sydney and Vaughn walked into the CIA building together, they went straight to Dixon and told him everything about where Weiss was but not to send a team in.

"He'll be making contact to me in a few hours" said Vaughn.

"Ok then" said Dixon "I'm sure you have some work to do. Go on"

They both nodded and walked to their desks. They smiled at each other briefly as they sat down. It took three hours for Weiss to call in. Vaughn jumped at the sound of his phone and quickly got up and went to Jack's office before he answered it with Sydney close behind.

Jack looked a little startled at the invasion but didn't say anything of it. Weiss and Vaughn talked. They learned that Lauren was not going to England as she claimed but was really going to Hong Kong. Jack sent Weiss and the team made up of Rainbow and Boom to follow her and not to let her out of their sight.

The next day Zara said they needed to pick up the contact details, they decided to let her do it with Syd and Vaughn watching so as not to take any chances. They drove to the park and Zara with a brown wig on which was shorter than her hair causally walked around chatting with a few kids. She was looking for something but Sydney and Vaughn weren't sure of what it was.

She knelt next to a girl of no more than five who was crying about something. They could hear her talking to her through the link.

"Are you ok?"

"There's a scary thing"

"What does it look like?"

"Red and blacked striped and it squeaked and hissed at me"

"Well we can't have that can we" Zara said "Tell me where it is and I'll make sure it doesn't do that again"

She held her hand out to the girl who took it and led her over to the sandpit. The girl pointed into it

"You sure that's where you saw it?" The little girl nodded "Ok well I'll get it then"

She made a show of trying to 'scare' it out which please the little girl. Zara had seen the little oval shaped device from the start and quickly jumped on it. She made as if it was moving and then clapped her hands where it was. To all intense and purposes it disappeared and the girl clapped her hands. Zara sent her back to her Nanny and then walked the round about way back to the car that Sydney and Vaughn were in.

"You got it?" Sydney asked

"Yep" she said flicking her wrist and producing a pellet shaped device while taking her wig off "You want to see where now?"

"No wait for later"

They drove back in relative silence. There was a bit of tension between Sydney and Vaughn. Zara was silent in the back thinking, they had moved her to the safe house that morning and Sydney had become somewhat suspicious of the gloves. She didn't want to show her or anybody, she knew how to look after it herself damnit.

They pulled up at the safe house and got out of the car. They entered and passed all the security and walked into the living room. Zara put the thing on the table. She held onto her hand as she sat down. Sydney noticed and confronted her.

"Zara what's wrong with your hand?"

"Nothing" the younger girl said casually "Just a little stiff is all"

"Must be really hurting you wince every time you hold anything with it"

"I sprained it a few weeks ago and I guess it wasn't just a normal sprain. Simple, now aren't we going to see what Pa has to say"

"No" said Vaughn exchanging a look with Sydney "I think Syd's right. I think we should look at your hand"

Zara tried to outstare them for nearly a full minute before she gave in. She sighed and took both her gloves off. She looked at them before unwrapping the bandage to reveal the bullet wound. Sydney gasped and came quickly over to her side. Vaughn pulled out his phone and rung for the medical services.

"How did this happen?" Sydney asked holding Zara's hand gently looking it over.

"Punishment" she said "And so they could recognise us"

"When did this happen?"

"The first time?"

"There's been more than one?"

"Yeah" said Zara quietly "I was nine, they tried to get me to do something kill someone or something like that and I refused. They took me outside and held me against the wall. They pulled my arm out and flattened it against the wall after kicking me, I was struggling. They fired it point blank into my hand, only they did it on the wrong hand so I had to learn to shoot with the other hand before I did the job. They put salt and other stuff on it to make it hurt and heal slower. The never sewed it up or even gave me bandages, Anya bandaged it up for me."

Sydney just looked at her astonished at the things she was saying. Sydney pulled her into a hug and Zara shook gently as she held her.

"They did it at least once a year after that when I refused to do things but they made it so I could still shoot straight"

"Zara med services are coming to help you with that" said Vaughn sitting on the other side of her.

"Thank you" she said quietly.

"We'll look at the message after we've got you fixed up" said Vaughn putting a hand on her shoulder.

She turned and smiled at him then excused herself. She walked into up the stairs leaving Sydney and Vaughn together alone. They didn't look at each other. They were sitting quite close on the sofa, hands nearly touching.

"Syd" he said looking at her she turned "I want this to be over"

"So do I" she said and took a chance letting her hand creep towards his and cover it.

He looked down at their hands and smiled slightly. It was amazing how calm her touch could make him. The way he relied on her and she him used to scare the hell out of him but now he loved it and longed for it in a way. He felt that she had almost physically distanced herself from him and built a wall between them. He had tried to rely on his 'wife' but he couldn't. She didn't know him as well and wasn't able to read him as well as Sydney could. Hell Sydney had been able to read him better after knowing each other for a few weeks.

Sydney, for her part, was at peace just sitting with him not thinking about what could happen for the moment. She had missed this when there had been a 'them' on their days off they had often spent their precious hours together simply sitting holding each other, often in silence or watching, pretending to be watching at any rate, a movie. They would always be wearing old clothes Sydney often one of his shirts and a pair of sweats and him in similar attire. She had loved that, they were a 'normal' couple at those times. She craved that now but was content to be even touching him a little bit.

They sprang apart as someone knocked at the door. Vaughn went to answer it and Sydney, knowing it was medical service, went to retrieve Zara from upstairs.

TBC

Hope you like.


	13. Chapter 13

Next part again sorry for the wait.

Sydney walked up the stairs calling for the young girl. She heard an answering call from the room to her left so she walked inside. She saw Zara sitting on the windowsill looking out at the city. She didn't turn around, she was playing with something in her hands.

Sydney looked closer and saw that it was a coin. It was larger and flatter than normal currency and Zara was just moving it through the fingers on one hand and the other was holding her necklace.

"Here" she said throwing the coin to Sydney.

Sydney caught it and looked at the pattern stamped into it. It said 'Best friends DT JT & ZT'. She looked closer and saw that someone had scratched on 'AT' as well at a later date.

"My brothers gave it to me as a birthday present but they couldn't find one that said best sister so they went with that" she said smiling slightly.

"Zara?" Sydney asked watching her hold the necklace with her bad hand "How can you even hold that?"

"Oh, I've got a chain around my fingers" she said pointing to it "I can move my thumb, little finger and to some extent my index finger but this makes it so that they all move together"

"Clever" Sydney said "When did you work that out?"

"It was Jacque, he was our tech really good with any engineering stuff and making something useful out of anything"

"He sounds like a useful guy to have around"

"He was like my big brother, he was really like James actually now that I think about it. He would always muck around with Edek and me, Shen would too"

She looked out of the window again. Sydney looked at her then at the room that she had chosen. It was easily the smallest one in the house barring the closet. Everything was neatly packed and folded it was as if she were ready to go at any moment.

She turned round as she heard footsteps coming up the stairs. It was Vaughn, he smiled at her then looked at Zara.

"Hey Zara the med services are here"

"Ok" she said getting off the windowsill carefully.

It was an hour later before the medics were finished, by that time Jack and Dixon had arrived and were waiting for Zara to reappear before getting the information from the thing. She did hand wrapped up the white bandages standing out from the rest of her dark clothing.

She walked straight over to the little thing and picked it up turning it over for a minute before pressing her thumb to one side. It opened and a small disk fell out.

"Have you got a computer or something?" she asked.

Dixon nodded and pulled out a laptop from its bag, switching it on. He made the other agents leave them. Zara put the disk in the drive. She waited for it to come up and then typed her way through what seemed like a hundred commands. Sydney and Vaughn sat watching everything intently while Dixon and Jack talked apart from them.

Zara sighed and smiled slightly at a message from Boom that he had encoded into it. She clicked on the file she wanted and a media program came up. Sydney called the others over to listen to it.

Zara enlarged the player to fill the whole screen before hitting play. They saw Lauren's file at the Covenant then heard Pa's voice speaking in Polish. Zara translated.

"She's quite high up in it, her mother is a benefactor as is her father although he doesn't know it. They've found a way for us to get her"

Her eyes lit up as she listened for a minute. She didn't speak again until the message had finished, several other pictures flashed up, most of which the others didn't recognise. Zara turned to them and explained.

"You know my assignment is theoretically to kill Syd" they all nodded "Well as Syd is a 'kiss ass spy' as you lot say, I going to need some help. I contact the Covenant and ask if there is any available _trusted _back up in the city. Hopefully they'll call in Lauren or Sark who will call her in anyway. Well from that you can set up a mole hunt, you've got to make known enough so that the Covenant will recognise it as a real one. Lauren will make contact with me and we will plan, I'll be bugged by Boom and the others who will give you a link to it. When we go to 'kill' Syd you can jump out and go, I've got you. Simple"

"Sounds it" said Jack suspiciously "What if Lauren knows about you?"

"She doesn't know one does, if they suspected at all I wouldn't even be allowed out of their sight and I'm under no surveillance now"

"How do you know?"

"Because I would know alright" she said staring at Jack almost angrily "I know who they are, how they dress, how they act everything. I was one for awhile and they're all the same. It is just grunt work, they don't have to be clever or anything just make themselves known" She took a second then said quieter "They send them to tell you to do a job or else they'll do it for you and drag you back to them to be killed. They trust me and don't have tabs on me most of the time if I ring in"

"When have you been ringing in?" asked Dixon

"Boom and Rainbow have taken care of it" she said.

"Do they keep tabs on her?" asked Vaughn

"No" said Zara after thinking for a second "I wouldn't think so it could compromise her cover"

"Good point" said Sydney "And we know that they don't really bother with Sark very much"

"If you want to talk about I more you'll have to meet them all at the bar at seven this evening" said Zara "I don't have to come so you can leave me here"

"Ok" said Dixon taking charge "Jack and I will go there tonight, from what you say they will recognise him, am I right?" Zara nodded "Well that'll give us passage"

"Trust me the place will probably empty within a few minutes of you walking in there Mr Bristow" said Zara "Trust me if I saw you walk into any place I was in before now I would have moved out and fast"

Jack Bristow actually cracked a small smile at that compliment and Sydney's mouth dropped open. Vaughn who was also shocked managed to pull himself together quicker and nudged her gently. She turned to look at him, it clearly said 'did you just see that?'. He smiled slightly and looked back at her, saying 'I know but don't show it'

Zara saw all this out the corner of her eye and smiled gently. She stayed seated as the adults formulated a plan of action. She answered questions that were sent in her direction and commented about how she thought things could be improved but other than that she stayed quiet.

It was decided that Dixon and Jack would go to the bar and Sydney and Vaughn would stay with Zara their cover was a mission to Canada to look for information on the North cell.

Zara spent the rest of the day being talked at by tutors and taking stupid test to she what levels she was at. The rest of them worked or at least tried to.

Vaughn was having a hard time concentrating and controlling the overwhelming anger he had inside him. He was even working on some of the files Zara had downloaded for him from the chip which were about Lauren's involvement and what she had done. He had just finished reading it.

He felt sick and shaky. He had married this woman, this he didn't even know how to describe her. He got up unsteadily and walked out determinedly to the men's bathroom. He hurriedly pushed the door open and got into a cubicle before throwing up several times. He was dry retching when he felt a hand on his back.

He shrank away from it for some reason.

"It's ok"

They held a cup of water out to him which he took and rinsed his mouth out. He collapsed then crying.

"Vaughn," Sydney was scared, she had never seen him like this before "I'm here"

"Sydney"

He looked up at her and reached his hands out pulling her to him. She ended up on his lap holding onto him for dear life as he shook and cried into her hair.

"Shshshshhh" she cradled his head against herself "You're alright Vaughn. I'm here and I'm not leaving you"

"Syd" he choked "I'm so sorry"

"We've been through this before I think" said Sydney looking at him.

"I know" he said trying to smile "But I just read what she's done. Syd it's…" he stopped and shook his head "I'm married to a monster,….a.. a thing with no conscience"

"Vaughn you didn't know" Sydney said at a loss as to what to tell him to make him feel better.

"I should have waited for you" he looked at her "I'll never-"

Sydney put her fingers on her lips to silence him.

"Don't say it not now" she said

"You know I do right?"

"I know, we'll always find each other, be together"

She stood up pulling him up behind her. She gave him a look and he smiled slightly they walked out of the bathroom together ignoring the looks they got. As Vaughn still looked pale and shaky they dismissed it as it was obvious Sydney was just looking after him.

Jack saw the two of them sit back down at their desks from his office. He got up and called them both into his office.

"You two are going home now" he said "Agent Vaughn you are in no state to be working, go and get a head start on the mission"

They both nodded. They knew what it meant, get the hell out of here before you do something stupid that you'll regret later. They walked out again getting into separate cars and driving in convoluted and completely different ways to the safe house.

TBC

Hope you like. Please review to tell me what you think.


	14. Chapter 14

Next part. So sorry about the wait. This is just a filler of sorts there will be more soon.

As Zara paused in her singing to concentrate on something Vaughn heard another sound, whimpering and crying. He turned to see where it was coming from then had a horrible thought. He was gone so quickly that Zara turned to talk to him and found that he'd gone.

Vaughn went out to the living room to see Sydney trying to escape from the blanket muttering and crying. He couldn't make out any words but he knew he had to help. He bent and gathered her up in his arms before sitting on the sofa and setting her on his lap. She was struggling against him but he just held her tight.

"Syd" he said "It's me it's Michael Syd. Nothing can hurt you there, it isn't real baby. Come back to me here, please Sydney"

She went still suddenly and Vaughn froze holding his breath. He let it out in a sigh of relief as she opened her eyes. He pulled her to him and hugged her tight. She was slightly confused but held onto him gratefully, still shaking slightly.

"You're ok, you're alright. I've got you" he whispered into her hair kissing it lightly as she clung to him.

"Vaughn" she whispered

"I'm here, I'm not letting you go Syd" he whispered loosening his hold on her slightly so he could look into her eyes "I'll never really let you go"

"I know" she whispered in return "I know"

They sat in silence for awhile still holding onto each other. They could hear Zara singing nonsense and Sydney looked at Vaughn with a question in her face. He just shook her head.

"Syd" he said

She looked up, brown locking with green as her eyes pierced right through to his heart. The words died in his throat he couldn't speak it was too difficult. She looked as if she understood and sat up slightly so she was at eye level with him. She let her forehead fall against his and he sighed at the familiar touch. His eyes filled with tears at that simple movement it brought so much comfort to him she couldn't have imagined how he loved that moment.

She saw the tears and put a hand to his face making her look at him and asking a question with her eyes. All he could do was smile shakily at her and tighten his grip around her to show that he wasn't sad. She seemed to understand and he was glad of that. He couldn't have told her why he felt like this.

"Vaughn" she whispered "Shh"

She stroked his face gently. He just smiled at her shakily.

"Shouldn't it be me comforting you?" he asked putting one of his hands to the one on her face. "You're the one who had a nightmare"

"Vaughn" she said closing her eyes and trying to look away

He moved his hand to hold her face instead of her hand and didn't let her.

"Sydney" he whispered "You don't have to tell me yet if you don't want to but let me be here to comfort you. It's about all I can do."

"Vaughn"

Her eyes were blurry with tears and a few started to spill over which he wiped away carefully sorely tempted to just kiss them away but restraining himself.

"It was the same one as before" she whispered "But it was on the end of the one I've had before. Vaughn I'm scared" he hugged her tighter "I hate going to sleep, I barely sleep anymore. I'm so tired even when I do if I have a nightmare it doesn't feel like I've slept at all."

"You're going to sleep tonight" he said and she smiled "Even if I have to get Zara to sing you to sleep or have her talk you to sleep"

"Excuse me" Zara's voice was heard before the girl was seen as she walked out of the kitchen to lean against the door "What's this about me doing something?"

"Nothing Zara" said Sydney "Vaughn just wants me to go to sleep"

"You should" the young girl said "I know with nightmares you don't get much"

"What…?" Sydney gave up and shook her head at the girl.

"Thank the gods they've finally realised not to ask" she said "Come on supper will be ready in ten minutes"

The girl disappeared again and Vaughn shook his head then looked at Sydney. She saw smiling slightly leaning her head on his chest having slipped down again. He leant down and placed a swift kiss on her forehead making her close her eyes and lean into him even more.

They sat still like that simply taking comfort from each other until Zara threatened to throw their suppers away if they didn't get into the kitchen and get.

"Bring it in here" called Vaughn and cringed waiting for an answer

Zara simply walked in carrying three plates expertly. She placed them on the table and then went back out to get three glasses and a jug of water. She didn't even look at them let alone speak.

"Zara?" asked Sydney warily sitting up straight and moving off Vaughn's lap

The girl looked at her, her hazel eyes not really registering anything. Vaughn looked a little scared and then she started to grin.

"What! Oh you little.." Vaughn shouted

He jumped up and chased her around the room and round the rest of the house. Sydney just watched laughing as Zara dodged by climbing up walls and sliding through his legs. He finally caught her as she was jumping off the stairs. He turned her upside down and let her dangle there as she tried to wriggle free. Sydney was by now in almost hysterics as Zara gave up and Vaughn stood there, her feet by his chin and her head around his calves. She had her arms crossed and was looking slightly annoyed.

"Vaughn you do realise that if that girl you are holding could probably kick your ass as well as I could. Right now I'm guessing she's planning how to do it"

Zara caught her eye and raised an eyebrow. She started to tap her finger slowly on her arm. On five she managed to swing herself up far enough to grab onto Vaughn's shoulders. In shock he had let go of her legs and let her to a handstand on his shoulders. She jumped off quickly going to sit opposite Sydney in an armchair.

"Are you going to eat supper or not?" she asked Vaughn passing Sydney hers and picking up one for herself.

He still stood staring at her and it took Sydney tugging on his hand to get him to sit down again. Although he was still being very wary of Zara.

They decided to watch a film after finishing eating. Sydney decided that Zara needed to get up to speed on a lot of movies that she had never seen. They went with The Italian Job and Dirty Dancing even thought Zara had said that she didn't like chick flicks having grown up around boys.

They all sat on the sofa seeing as it was the only chair you could see the TV from. Sydney was leaning on Vaughn and he had an arm round her shoulders while Zara had curled up with her head on the armrest.

"How can you get yourself that small?" Vaughn asked

"Because I'm used to being shoved into small places" she said "We could fit four of us lying on a sofa like this if we had to. Admittedly I was usually lying half on Edek or Jacque as I was the smallest but still"

"Impressive"

She just shrugged and continued to watch the movie. Zara had enjoyed the Italian Job telling Sydney how something could have been done when she couldn't see how. In the second one however she fell asleep about three quarters of the way through. Vaughn was quick to follow and even Sydney was asleep before the credits.

TBC

Hope you like. Please review to tell me what you think.


	15. Chapter 15

I'm really, really sorry for the delay but with internet problems, exams and writers block yeah well. Next part

Jack and Dixon came into the room a few hours later in the early morning. Dixon smiled slightly at the sight before them. Sydney's head was resting on Vaughn's chest and her legs had curled up half covering his. His head was on hers and his arms round her. Zara was still curled up taking up a small amount of space but she looked calm. Dixon had never seen the girl's face calm before, really calm. You could always see those eyes calculating something or assessing.

It was Zara who woke first, eyes opening fully alert as Dixon moved forward slightly. She looked up at them and then stood up slowly and stretched.

Sydney woke next looking right at her father. Her movement woke Vaughn who tried to keep her close as she moved away from him. His eyes opened and saw Jack then he let go but still stayed close to Sydney which Jack was secretly glad about. Jack brought a brown package out of his coat and threw it to Zara.

"Boom said that these were things you'd need" he said. Zara nodded in gratitude "Everything is planned" he said "It's going down in four days. I'll explain more nearer the time but for now I think we all need some sleep or more sleep"

"You'll be briefed tomorrow at JFT" Dixon said "You two are to stay here tonight and watch over Zara. It's safer anyway"

"Ok" the three of them said together

The two older men left and Zara looked at the two adults.

"I'm going to go to bed and sleep in a bed for once" she said rising "See you in the morning"

"We'll follow you up in a minute" said Sydney "We'll have to set the alarm system and clean up a bit"

"Ok" she said "Night"

She walked upstairs leaving the two adults in an almost awkward silence. Sydney moved to set the alarm system and Vaughn simply watched her go and then come back. She sat down next to him again and he automatically lifted his arm to put round her as she slid closer to him. They sat still until Sydney spoke

"Thank you" He looked at her and she understood the question "Just for being here and keeping the nightmares away"

"Always" he whispered into her hair as he pressed a light kiss to it.

She yawned and he looked at her smiling slightly. She frowned at him putting her head on his shoulder. He drew her closer pulling her so that she was sitting in his lap. A few minutes later he moved standing up picking Sydney up with him. She was surprised but didn't protest too much.

"Which room do you want?" he asked as they walked upstairs

"Any" she said tired

"Well you can go in here then seeing as I put your bag in here earlier"

"Ok"

She smiled at him as he gently put her down outside the door.

"You need anything I'm next door ok?"

"I'll be ok Vaughn."

"Anything"

"Alright, alright" she said "I'll see you in the morning"

She walked into the room and searched the wardrobe for something to wear. She found a long t-shirt and some long shorts. She pulled them on and the fell onto the bed lying onto top of the covers with her eyes open. She had had one nightmare today already and she knew that it was more likely to happen again if she slept again. She was so tired though. She lay there thinking letting her body rest while her thoughts remained active. This was how she got through days now doing this form of relaxation could mostly replace the sleep she lost.

She didn't know how long it was before she heard a noise coming from the other side of the corridor. She dragged herself out of her relaxed state to listen closer. It was rhythmic and it didn't seem to want to stop. The only person on the other side of the corridor was Zara so she got up and walked to the door of the girl's room.

She opened the door to see Zara doing exercises. She stopped as she noticed the figure at the door. She looked straight into her eyes and Sydney could understand why the girl wasn't asleep.

"You too?" she stated rather than asked and Zara didn't answer "Mind if I stay here for a bit?"

"No" she said getting up and moving to sit on the window sill as she had earlier "You know you should go and see Michael"

"Why?"

"Because you didn't have one when you were sleeping earlier"

"I don't want to be a nuisance"

"After I had one or any of us" she whispered "We would have to tell it exactly every detail and it just made things better. We knew each others' fears and how we could protect them. It takes guts to tell people I know but it feels better afterwards"

Sydney didn't answer simply sat on the floor next to the door. She looked out the window then at Zara.

"I know" she said "He used to do that for me"

"Who?"

"Vaughn"

"I knew it" said Zara chuckling slightly "You two used to go out didn't you and you're in love"

"I'm not"

"Dear gods you know you are and he loves you too even if he is married"

"Complicated"

"Everything else is complicated in our life don't make that complicated as well for your own sanity"

Zara startled Sydney by getting up somehow pulling her up in the process and pushing her into the corridor towards Vaughn's door.

"Go" Zara hissed "Please"

Sydney looked at the girl and realised that she wasn't making anything up this girl knew what it was like for her. However impossible it was to believe she knew it was very much the truth. She still struggled slightly laughing at Zara's determination to get her there.

Vaughn's door opened and he appeared bleary eyed in boxers and a t-shirt. He looked at Sydney who was looking around for Zara, she had conveniently disappeared.

"You alright Syd?"

"Uh" she said not looking at him

He stared at her and she couldn't help but meet his gaze. He walked towards her and pulled into a hug

"You can't sleep can you?"

She just shook her head into his shoulder. Before she knew it she was in his room sitting on his bed with him.

TBC

Hope you like. Please review to tell me what you think.


	16. Chapter 16

Thank you so much for the reviews they mean a lot to me.  
Sorry if this is a bit short just wanted to get a little filler up before I went away. So here you go

They sat together for a long time not really talking just being. After awhile he laid down and pulled her down next to him. They were lying across the bed legs hanging off the end. She now in a whispered voice told him of her dream, the second she started to talk she felt him grip her hand in his. She didn't look at him through the telling opting to look at the ceiling instead.

Once she had finished he turned over hand still holding hers and looked down at her. She stared up at him for a long time then smiled. He did the same and laid an arm across her waist carefully resting his head on her shoulder. He was she knew to reinforce that he was there with her and that he was alive and fine. She let her hands move through his hair gently and he sighed in the same way he used to and moved closer to her.

It was almost too much but she let herself be comforted by him. She closed her eyes and turned over to one side feeling Vaughn move to accommodate the movement. They fell asleep quickly.

It was Zara that woke them in the morning. They both bolted upright at the sound of a crash. They looked at each other then ran downstairs each bringing a gun. They whipped round the kitchen door to find Zara cleaning up some glass.

"Don't shoot me guys" she said "The radio just came on and I wasn't expecting it. I dropped a glass"

Sydney sighed and shook her head at the girl

"Surely you turned it on" said Vaughn putting his gun down on the table

"Nope must come on automatically" she said "Wasn't me"

"Well as we're all up we should get some breakfast" Sydney said going over to the cupboards

"I was doing that" said Zara "Why don't you two go and get dressed and I'll finish down here?"

"When did you become the parent?" asked Vaughn smiling at Zara

"Being practical doesn't make me a parent" she said "Being irrational makes you a parent"

"Good point" said Sydney "Come on let's do as she says"

She tugged on Vaughn's arm and he followed her willingly. They trudged back upstairs and then separated to go into their rooms.

Half an hour later they had all showered and eaten and were playing cards until they got the message to go into work. Sydney's mobile rang just as Vaughn's did and they got the same message; 'Come in separately a team will be there to pick up the package in twenty minutes leave after it has safely been handed over'

"Twenty minutes" said Sydney to Zara

"I'll go and get the stuff then"

The girl disappeared upstairs and came back with the folders that she had retrieved yesterday and the package that Boom had sent her. She was still wearing demure colours Sydney noted as she sorted through the papers even though Sydney knew that there had been better things to wear put out for her in the room. She was still preoccupied by the night before. She had slept for more than five hours last night and felt incredibly alive because of it. She was still trying to convince herself that it had nothing to do with the man that had comforted her. The man in question was doing his tie up, sitting opposite her. He smiled at her warmly and she couldn't help but return it. It seemed that they had reached an understanding although Sydney was sure that neither knew quite what it was.

Zara walked off upstairs again muttering something about glasses when Vaughn slipped his hand over hers briefly. She looked up at him and saw the look that reassuring look that given her so much strength in the past.

"It'll be ok Syd" he said softly "I promise"

"I know Vaughn" she said smiling "I trust you"

He beamed at that and squeezed her hand. She knew that that was what he needed to hear not that she was doing it to make him happy, she did trust him now. He needed her as much as she needed him now, he had been betrayed and she knew what that felt like. They looked at each other for a minute before blushing and looking away, hands moving away from each other slowly.

Zara reappeared at that moment and pretended that she couldn't feel the tension in the air and talked on to Vaughn about something regardless. Two minutes later the team walked in and Zara let herself be handcuffed. The leader picked up the documents that Vaughn pointed out and then they walked out.

"I'll go first" said Sydney as Zara was taken away "I'm usually in early"

"Ok" he said "Take care ok?"

"I will"

She stood up and was surprised when she felt his hand on her arm. He looked at her then smiled pulling her to him for a hug. Sydney buried her face in his shoulder and sighed arms wrapping around him. They let go a minute later and smiled at each other.

"I have to go"

"I'll see you later"

"Yeah" she said shyly and walked out the door not risking turning back to look at him.

TBC

Hope you like


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